I 

I 

I 
■ 


A  MANGUE  INDIAN  RECITING  A  LOG  A.    See  page  xxv. 


brinton's  library  of 
aboriginal  american  literature, 
number  iii. 


THE 

GUEGUENCE; 

A  COMEDY  BALLET 

IN  THE 

Nahuatl-Spanish  Dialect  of  Nicaragua. 


EDITED  BY 

DANIEL  G.  BRINTON,  A.M.,  M.D. 


D.  G.  BRINTON, 

PHILADELPHIA. 
1883. 


Copyright, 
D.  G.  BRINTON. 
1883. 


WE  GETTy  CENTO? 
U8RARV 


LIBRARY 

OF 

Aboriginal  American 
Literature. 

'       No.  III. 

EDITED  BY 

D.  G.  BRINTON,  M.D. 


PHILADELPHIA : 
1883. 


PREFACE. 


The  play  which  is  presented  in  this  volume  is  the  only 
specimen  known  to  me  of  the  native  American  comedy.  It 
is  of  comparatively  recent  origin,  and  is  composed  in  a  mixed 
dialect,  a  jargon  of  low  Spanish  and  corrupt  Aztec  (Nahu- 
atl)  ;  but,  both  in  its  history  and  spirit,  it  bears  so  many 
marks  of  native  composition,  and  is  so  characteristic  of  the 
sort  of  humor  popular  with  the  tribes  from  whom  it  was 
obtained,  that  it  fairly  merits  a  place  in  this  series  of  publi- 
cations. 

The  text  was  obtained  in  Nicaragua,  by  the  late  Dr.  Carl 
Hermann  Berendt.  But  no  translation  of  any  part  of  it  and 
no  notes  upon  it  were  found  among  his  papers.  The  respon- 
sibility for  the  rendering  rests,  therefore,  with  myself.  It 
has  presented  extreme  difficulty,  owing  to  the  imperfect  con- 
dition of  the  text,  the  deterioration  of  the  Nahuatl  words 
and  forms,  the  antiquated  and  provincial  senses  of  the  Spanish 
words,  and  the  obscure  local  references  introduced.  I  would 
rather  speak  of  my  work  as  a  loose  paraphrase,  aimed  to  give 
the  general  sense  and  humorous  tone  of  the  original,  than 
as  a  faithful  translation. 

The  text  has  been  printed  precisely  as  in  the  manuscript,  even 
obvious  errors  in  spelling  and  punctuation  having  been  pre- 
served. Suggestions  with  reference  to  these  are  made  in  the 
notes. 

For  assistance  in  translating  the  Spanish  text,  I  would 
acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  Professor  Adolfo  Pierra,  of 
Philadelphia,  and  Dr.  F.  C.  Valentine,  of  New  York,  both 
of  whom  have  passed  considerable  periods  in  Central  America. 

Philadelphia,  November,  i88j. 


~»  ^  ^  u 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction.  PAGK 

§  I.  The  Nahuas  and  Mangues  of  Nicaragua.  v 
Location  of  the  Nahuas  of  Nicaragua,  v.  Derivation  of  the  word 
Nicaragua,  v.  Origin  of  the  Nicaraguan  Nahuas,  vi.  Location 
of  the  Mangues,  viii.  Why  called  Chorotecas,  viii.  Relationship 
to  the  Chapanecs,  ix.  Culture  level  of  the  Nahuas,  x.  Of  the 
Mangues,  x.  Disappearance  of  their  languages,  xi.  Comparison  of 
the  Nahuatl  of  Nicaragua  and  of  Mexico,  xiii.  Comparison  of  the 
Mangue  with  the  Chapanec,  xiii.  Differences  between  Nicaraguan 
and  pure  Nahuatl,  xiv.  Comparison  of  the  Mangue  or  Chapanec, 
of  Central  America,  with  the  Aymara,  of  Peru,  xv.  Development 
of  the  Nahuatl-Spanish  jargon,  xvii.    Specimens  of  it,  xvii. 

§  2.  The  Bailes  or  Dramatic  Dances  of  Nicaragua.  xix 
Oviedo's  description,  xx.  Symbolism  of  the  dance,  xxii.  Benzoni's 
description,  xxii.  Gage's  remarks,  xxii.  Historical  character  of 
the  dances,  xxiii.  Five  classes  of  dances,  xxiii.  Purpose  and 
characters,  xxiv.  The  Logas,  xxv.  Las  Inditas,  xxv.  The 
Chinegritos,  xxvi.  The  Negritos,  xxvi.  Toro-Guaca  and  other 
dances,  xxvi.    The  drama  of  the  Ollita,  xxvii. 

§  j.  Nicaraguan  Musical  Instruments  and  Music.  xxviii 
The  Marimba,  its  form  and  origin,  xxviii.  The  Drum,  xxx.  The 
Ollita  or  Musical  Jar,  xxxi.  The  Pito  or  Whistle,  xxxiii.  Speci- 
mens of  Airs,  xxxiv.  The  long  Flute,  xxxv.  The  Juco,  xxxv.  The 
Quijongo  or  Carimba,  xxxvi.  The  Chilchil  or  Ayacachtli,  xxxvi. 
The  Cacho,  xxxvii.  Character  of  native  music,  xxxvii.  Air  of  the 
Malinche,  xxxviii.  Choruses  and  Cofradias,  xxxviii.  Melodies 
from  the  Giieguence,  xl. 

§  4.  History  of  the  "  Baile  del  Gueguence."  xli 
Whence  the  text  was  obtained,  xli.    Time  and  manner  of  its  rehearsal, 
xli.    Age  of  the  play,  xiii.    Reasons  for  considering  it  a  native 
production,  xiii.    How  different  from  the  Spanish  comedy,  xliii. 
Native  plots  of  similar  character,  xliv.    Native  comedians,  xlv. 

§  j\  The  Dramatis  Persona  of  the  Gueguence.  xlv 
The  Gueguence,  xlv.  Derivation  of  the  name,  xlv.  Character,  xlv. 
Malicious  humor,  xlvi.  Costume,  xlvi.  Don  Forcico  and  Don 
Ambrosio,  xlvi.  Contrast  of  actions,  xlvii.  The  Governor  Tastu- 
anes,  xlvii.  Derivation  of  the  name,  xlvii.  Minor  characters, 
xlvii.    The  lady  Suchi  Malinche,  xlvii.    Derivation  of  the  name, 


xlvii.    The  mules,  xlvii.    Their  costume,  xlviii. 

§  6.  Epitome  of  the  Story  of  the  Gueguence.  xlviii 

THE  GUEGUENCE;  A  COMEDY.  3 

Notes  to  the  Gueguence.  75 

Vocabulary.  8  3 

Index.  93 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Frontispiece.    A  Mangue  Indian  Reciting  a  Loga. 

From  an  original  sketch  by  Dr.  Berendt . 
Map  of  the  location  of  the  Nahuas  of  Nicaragua  and  their 

Neighbors.  xii 

Ancient  Dance  in  Nicaragua   xxii 

From  Oviedds  Historia. 

A  Marimba  Player  and  his  Instrument   xxix 

From  Von  Tempsky's  Mitla. 

Ancient  Aztec  Musician   xxx 

From  Duran's  Historia. 

Nicaraguan  Indians  Playing  on  the  Drum   xxxii 

From  an  original  sketch  by  Dr.  Berendt. 

Earthenware  Musical  Jar  from  Nicaragua   xxxiii 

From  a  drawing  by  Dr.  Berendt. 

Earthenware  Whistle  from  Nicaragua   xxxiii 

From  a  drawing  by  Dr.  Berendt. 

Native  Flute  Melodies   xxxiv 

From  MS.  of  Dr.  Berendt. 

Whistles  from  Nicaraguan  Burial  Mounds   xxxv 

From  Report  of  Dr.  J.  F.  Bransford. 

The  Quijongo  of  Nicaragua   xxxvi 

Original  Drawing  from  description. 

Atzec  Mourner  Singing  and  Playing   xxxvii 

From  Aztec  Codex  in  the  Aubin  Collection. 

Air  of  Malinche  xxxviii 

From  Morelet's  Voyage. 

Melodies  from  Gueguence   xl 

Original  furnished  by  Dr.  E.  Flint. 

Earthenware  Cup  from  Nicaragua   lxxviii 

From  a  sketch  by  Dr.  Berendt. 

A  Nicaraguan  Plough   lxxx 

From  Squier's  Nicaragua . 
A  Machete   lxxxi 


From  an  original  sketch. 


INTRODUCTION. 


§  /.  The  Nahuas  and  Mangues  of  Nicaragua. 

Among  the  outlying  colonies  of  that  important  people 
whose  chief  seat  was  in  the  Valley  of  Mexico,  and  who  are 
variously  known  as  Aztecs,  Mexicans  or  Nahuas,  were  several 
in  Central  America.  "One  of  these,"  writes  Mr.  Squier, 
"occupied  the  principal  islands  in  the  Lake  of  Nicaragua, 
the  narrow  isthmus  which  intervenes  between  that  lake  and 
the  Pacific,  and  probably  a  portion  of  the  country  to  the 
southward,  as  far  as  the  gulf  of  Nicoya.  Their  country  was 
less  than  a  hundred  miles  long,  by  twenty-five  broad  ;  yet 
here  they  preserved  the  same  language  and  institutions,  and 
practiced  the  same  religious  rites,  with  the  people  of  the  same 
stock  who  dwelt  more  than  two  thousand  miles  distant,  on 
the  plateau  of  Anahuac,  from  whom  they  were  separated  by 
numerous  powerful  nations,  speaking  different  languages,  and 
having  distinct  organizations."1 

This  Nahuatl  tribe  gave  the  name  to  the  Province,  Nica- 
ragua, this  being,  according  to  some  early  authorities,  the 
personal  appellation  of  their  chief  at  the  epoch  of  their  dis- 
covery, in  1522,  and,  according  to  others,  their  national  name.2 
For  no  sufficient  reasons,  Mr.  Squier  applied  to  them  the  term 
Niquirans,  and  Dr.  Berendt  Nicaraos,  but  it  seems  better  to 
retain,  as  distinctive  for  them,  the  name  Nicaraguans,  or,  more 
specifically, "  the  Nahuas  of  Nicaragua."    "Nicaragua"  is 

1  E.  G.  Squier,  The  States  of  Central  America,  p.  317  (London,  1858). 

2  The  conquest  of  Nicaragua  is  described  by  Oviedo,  Historia  General 
de  las  Jndias,  Lib.  XXIX,  cap.  XXI,  and  Herrera,  Decadas  de  Indias, 
Dec.  Ill,  Lib.  IV,  and  see  Dec.  IV,  Lib.  VIII,  cap.  X. 

B  V 


vi 


INTRODUCTION. 


undoubtedly  a  Nahuatl  word,  but,  as  the  letter  r  is  not  found  in 
that  language,  the  precise  original  form  is  uncertain.  Father 
Francisco  Vasquez  explained  it  as  a  compound  of  the  Nahuatl 
nican,  "here,"  and  anahuacos,  "here  dwell  those  from  Ana- 
huac;"1  or  it  may  be  from  nican  and  nahua  (plural  form  of 
nahuatl),  "here  dwell  those  speaking  the  Nahuatl  tongue;  " 
or,  as  a  personal  name  of  a  chief,  it  may  be  ni  calaquiya, 
"I  entered  into, or  took  possession." 

How  it  happened  that  this  fragment  of  the  Aztec  nation 
had  become  detached  from  the  main  body  and  resident  so  far 
from  its  central  seat,  has  not  been  clearly  explained.  Mr. 
Squier  and  some  others  have  maintained  the  hypothesis  that 
the  migration  of  all  the  Aztec  tribes  was  from  south  to  north, 
and  that  their  scattered  members  in  Central  America  were 
bands  which  had  stopped  on  the  road.2  This  opinion,  how- 
ever, is  refuted  by  the  evidence  of  language,  and  also  by 
the  unanimous  traditions  of  the  Aztecs  themselves,  both  in 
Nicaragua  and  in  Mexico. 

The  Nicaraguans  had  a  very  positive  recollection  that  their 
ancestors  came  from  Mexico,  driven  forth  by  scarcity  of  food, 
and  that  they  wandered  along  the  Pacific  shore  to  the  locality 

1  "Nicarahua  es  lo  mismo  que  Nica  anahuac,  aqui  estan  los  Mexicanos  0 
Anahuacos."  Fray  Francisco  Vasquez,  Cronica  de  la  Provincia  de  Guate- 
mala, Parte  II,  Lib.  V,  cap.  I  (Guatemala,  1716).  The  form  Nicarao, 
adopted  by  Dr.  Berendt,  is  certainly  corrupt,  as  the  termination  of  a  proper 
name  in  ao  is  not  found  in  correct  Nahuatl.  Squier's  term  Niquirans  was 
adopted  by  him  from  a  misreading  of  Oviedo,  and  has  no  authority  what- 
ever; so,  also,  his  attempted  discrimination  between  Chorotegans  and 
Cholotecans,  as  both  these  are  forms  of  the  same  word. 

2  "  The  hypothesis  of  a  migration  from  Nicaragua  and  Cuscatlan  to 
Anahuac  is  altogether  more  consonant  with  probabilities,  and  with  tradi- 
tions, than  that  which  derives  the  Mexicans  from  the  north." — E.  G.  Squier. 
Notes  on  Central  America,  p.  349.  It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  Mr. 
Squier  could  make  this  statement  in  the  face  of  the  words  of  Herrera  and 
so  many  other  writers. 


THE  NAHUAS  AND  MANGUES. 


vii 


in  which  the  Spaniards  found  them.1  They  remembered  the 
names  of  their  ancient  home,  or,  rather,  of  their  ancient 
kindred,  and  gave  them  as  Ticomega  and  Maguateca,  locating 
them  toward  the  west  ("  hacia  donde  se  pone  el  sol  ").  It  is 
easy  to  recognize  in  these  words  the  Aztec  terminations  signi- 
fying gens  or  tribe,  mecatl  and  tecatl,  which  in  the  plural  drop 
the  //.  Nor  can  we  be  far  wrong  in  identifying  magna  with 
the  Aztec  maque,  upper,  above,  and  tico  with  tiachcauh,  elder 
brother,  and  in  translating  these  names,  the  one  as  "the 
upper  people,"  i.  e.,  the  dwellers  on  the  lofty  interior  plateau, 
and  "  our  elder  brothers,"  i.  e.,  the  senior  and  ranking  clans 
of  their  tribe,  who  remained  in  Anahuac.3 

Besides  these  traditions,  the  Nicaraguans  showed  their  close 
relationship  to  the  Aztecs  by  a  substantial  identity  of  language, 
mythology,  religious  rites,  calendars,  manners  and  customs. 
We  have,  fortunately,  an  unusual  mass  of  information  about 
them,  from  an  examination  of  their  leading  men  by  the 
chaplain  Francisco  de  Bobadilla,  in  1528,  who  took  down 
their  replies  with  as  much  accuracy  as  we  could  expect,  and 
whose  narrative  has  been  preserved  by  the  historian  Oviedo. 
They  also  had  retained  a  knowledge  of  the  Mexican  hiero- 

1  "  LaGente  de  esta  tierra  decia,  que  havia  descendido  de  la  Mexicana; 
su  Trage,  i  Lengua,  era  casi,  como  el  de  Mexico." — Herrera,  Decada  III, 
Lib.  V,  Cap.  XII.  "  Dicen,  que  huvo  en  los  tiempos  antiguos,  en  Nueva 
Espafia  una  gran  Seca,  por  lo  qual  se  fueron  por  aquella  Mar  Austral  a 
poblar  a  Nicaragua." — Id.  Dec.  Ill,  Lib.  IV,  cap.  VII.  Torquemada, 
specifically  quoting  the  traditions  obtained  from  the  oldest  natives,  states 
that  the  Nicaraguans  came  from  Anahuac  at  no  remote  epoch. — Monarquia 
Indiana,  Lib.  Ill,  cap.  XL.  See,  also,  Gomara,  Hist,  de  las  Indias, 
cap.  206. 

2  Prof.  Buschmann,  who  obtained  these  names  in  a  garbled  form  from 
Ternaux-Compans'  translation  of  Oviedo,  gave  them  up  as  insoluble,  while 
recognizing  their  value  as  indicating  the  wanderings  of  the  Nicaraguans. 
"  Ungliicklicherweise,"  he  says,  "sind  jene  zwei  Namen  von  so  ungiin- 
stigem  Gehalte,  das  ich  nichts  aus  ihnen  hervorlocken  kann." — Ueber  die 
Aztekischen  Orisnamen,  p.  768  (Berlin,  1852). 


viii 


INTRODUCTION. 


glyphics,  and  wrote,  in  books  of  paper  and  parchment,  their 
laws  and  ritual,  their  calendars  and  the  boundaries  of  their 
lands.1 

While  this  Aztec  band  thus  acknowledged  themselves  to 
be  intruders,  such  appears  not  to  have  been  the  case  with 
their  immediate  neighbors  to' the  northeast  and  southwest. 
These  were  of  one  blood  and  language,  and  called  themselves 
m&nkeme,  rulers,  masters,  which  the  Spaniards  corrupted  into 
Mangues?  The  invading  Aztecs  appear  to  have  split  this 
ancient  tribe  into  two  fractions,  the  one  driven  toward  the 
south,  about  the  Gulf  of  Nicoya,  the  other  northward,  on 
and  near  Lake  Managua,  and  beyond  it  on  Fonseca  Bay.3 
Probably  in  memory  of  this  victory,  the  Nicaraguans  applied 
to  them  the  opprobrious  name  Chololteca,  "those  driven  out," 
from  the  Nahuatl  verb  choloa,  and  the  suffix  tecatl,  which  was 
corrupted  by  the  Spanish  to  Chorotecas.^ 

The  name  does  not  by  any  means  intimate  that  the  Man- 
gues  came  from  Cholula  in  Mexico,  as  some  ancient,  and  some 

1  The  careless  statement  of  the  historian  Herrera,  that  it  was  only  the 
Chorotegans  who  had  such  books,  can  be  corrected  from  his  own  volumes, 
and  also  from  the  explicit  words  of  Oviedo  and  Gomara.  Compare 
Herrera,  Dec.  Ill,  Lib.  IV,  cap.  VII,  with  Oviedo,  Hist,  de  las  Indias, 
Lib.  XLII,  cap.  I,  and  Gomara,  Hist,  de  las  Indias,  cap.  202. 

2  The  word  mankeme  is  a  derivative  from  yjma,  the  head,  whence  the 
Chapanec  d'/ama,  the  ruler  or  head  man,  and  mand%ama,  master,  chief,  in 
which  word  ma  is  a  possessive  prefix,  and  n  a  particle,  sometimes  relative, 
sometimes  euphonic,  of  exceedingly  frequent  use  in  this  tongue.  It  may 
be  compared  to  the  Nahuatl  in. 

3  This  latter,  or  a  portion  of  them,  inhabiting  a  hilly  country  south  of 
Masaya,  were  called  Dirians,  from  the  Mangue  word  dirt,  a  hill,  a  name 
which  has  improperly  been  extended  to  the  whole  tribe. 

*  The  "compulsive"  form  of  the  verb  choloa,  to  run  away, is  chololtia,  to 
cause  to  run  away,  to  drive  out.  No  doubt  the  name  of  Cholula  (Cho- 
lollan)  in  Mexico  is  of  the  same  derivation,  but  it  arose  from  a  different, 
though  similar,  historical  event. 


THE  NAHUAS  AND  MANGUES. 


ix 


modern,  writers  have  hastily  supposed  ;J  nor  is  it  a  proof  that 
they  spoke  an  Aztec  dialect,  as  Ternaux  Compans  has 
asserted.2  So  far  is  this  from  being  the  case,  the  Mangue  has 
no  sort  of  affinity  with  the  Nahuatl,  and  must  stand  wholly 
asunder  from  it  in  the  classification  of  American  tongues. 
It  has,  indeed,  a  relative  to  the  north,  and  a  close  one,  the 
Chapanec  or  Chiapenec,3  spoken  by  the  inhabitants  of  three 
small  villages  in  Chiapas,  the  largest  of  which  has  given  its 
name  to  the  province.  These  Chapanecs,  by  their  traditions, 
still  clearly  remembered  at  the  time  of  the  Conquest,  and 
preserved  by  the  historian  Remesal,  migrated  from  Nicaragua 
to  their  more  northern  home.  As  they  had  no  connection 
with  the  Aztecs,  so,  also,  they  were  wholly  without  affinities 
with  the  great  Maya  stock,  which  extended  far  and  wide  over 
Central  America,  although  the  contrary  has  been  recently 
stated.4  In  fact,  among  the  five  different  languages  which 
were  spoken  in  the  present  province  of  Nicaragua  at  the  time 
of  the  discovery,  not  one  belonged  to  any  branch  of  the 
Maya  group.5 

1  Torquemada  appears  to  have  been  the  first  to  make  this  guess  ;  and  it 
has  recently  been  advocated  by  Dr.  Valentini,  The  Olmecas  and  the  Tul- 
tecas,  p.  20  (Worcester,  1883),  and  was  also  sanctioned  by  Dr.  Berendt. 

2  In  a  note  to  his  translation  of  Oviedo's  Nicaragua. 

3  The  proper  spelling  is  "  Chapanec."  It  is  not  an  Aztec  word,  but 
from  the  Mangue  tongue,  in  which  Chapa  means  the  ara,  or  red  macaw, 
their  sacred  bird.  The  name  was  derived  from  that  of  the  lofty  peak  on 
which  their  principal  town  in  Chiapas  was  situated — chapa  niiu,  the  ara 
of  fire. 

4  In  Mr.  Bancroft's  Native  Races  of  the  Pacific  States,  Vol.  V,  p.  659. 
'The  contrary  of  this  has  been  very  positively  stated  by  Dr.  Valentini 

(ubi  supra).  The  only  evidence  he  brings  forward  is  the  word  calachuni, 
for  chieftain,  applied  by  Gil  Gonzalez  to  one  of  the  rulers  in  Nicaragua. 
This  is,  no  doubt,  the  Maya  halach  uinic,  holy  man,  but  Gonzalez  wrote 
in  1522,  and  this  word  was  adopted  by  the  Spaniards  in  1518,  during 
Grijalva's  expedition  to  Yucatan,  as  the  accounts  show,  and  was  promiscu- 
ously applied,  just  as  cacique,  canoe,  etc.,  from  the  Haytian  dialect.  A 


X 


INTRODUCTION. 


My  present  theme  does  not  extend  to  a  discussion  of  these 
various  tongues,  nor  take  me  further  into  the  ethnology  of 
their  locality.  It  has  to  do  solely  with  these  two  nations,  the 
Nicaraguans  and  the  Mangues.  The  culture-level  of  the 
former  was  nearly  as  high  as  that  found  in  the  Valley  of 
Mexico.  They  had  a  settled  government,  constructed  edifices 
of  stone,  sculptured  idols,  utensils  and  ornaments  out  of  the 
same  material,  were  skilled  in  ceramics,  deft  in  weaving  cotton 
cloth  and  reed  or  grass  mats,  able  in  war,  and  thoughtful 
enough  to  puzzle  their  first  European  visitors  with  questions 
as  to  the  stars  and  the  earth,  the  beginning  and  the  end  of 
things.1  Careful  archaeologists  in  our  own  day  have  searched 
the  territory  they  inhabited,  and  many  museums  contain  speci- 
mens of  what  they  accomplished  in  the  direction  of  the  arts, 
and  testify  to  a  respectable  degree  of  intellectual  advancement.2 

We  know  less  about  the  Mangues.  They  are  mentioned  as 
differing  in  religious  rites  from  the  Nicaraguans,  and  the 
impression  is  conveyed  that  they  were  in  a  more  primitive 
condition,  but  yet  with  fair  claims  to  be  ranked  among  the 
cultivated  nations  of  the  new  world.  Among  them,  in  fact, 
Dr.  Berendt  located  one  of  the  "centres  of  ancient  American 
civilization,"  and  considered  the  definite  solution  of  their 

careful  analysis  of  all  the  native  words  in  Oviedo's  account  of  Nicaragua 
does  not  show  a  single  Maya  affinity. 

!The  chief  asked  Gonzalez  if,  at  the  end  of  the  world,  the  earth  would 
be  overturned,  or  would  the  sky  fall  ?  How  large  are  the  stars,  why  they 
move,  and  what  keeps  them  in  their  courses?  When,  and  how  do  the 
sun  and  moon  change  their  brightness  ?  Why  is  the  night  dark  and  the 
winter  cold,  since  light  and  warmth  are  so  much  better?  (Herrera, 
Decad.  Ill,  Lib.  IV,  cap.  V.) 

2  The  leading  authorities  on  the  antiquities  of  Nicaragua  are  E.  G. 
Squier,  Nicaragua,  Its  People,  Scenery  and  Monuments,  together  with  his 
numerous  other  works  pertaining  to  Central  America ;  and  the  reports  of 
Dr.  Earl  Flint  and  Dr.  J.  F.  Bransford,  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 
Dr.  Habel  and  Dr.  Berendt  also  made  numerous  investigations,  but  their 
reports  have  not  appeared  in  adequate  detail. 


THE  NAHUAS  AND  MANGUES. 


xi 


affiliations  as  one  of  the  problems  of  the  first  order  in  the 
ethnology  of  America.1  The  Spanish  historians  relate  that 
they  had  hieroglyphic  books,  like  the  Mexicans;  that  they 
were  rather  light  in  color,  careful  in  dress,  setting  much  store 
by  their  long  hair,  which  they  sedulously  combed,  and  had  an 
autocratic  military  government.  Their  country  was  thickly 
peopled,  especially  that  portion  of  it  between  the  lakes.  The 
district  of  Managua  was  almost  like  a  continuous  town,  so 
closely  were  the  native  houses  placed  together  for  nearly  ten 
miles.  In  fact,  it  was  called  one  city  by  the  earliest  explorers, 
and  Oviedo,  who  takes  pains  to  criticise  these  for  their 
tendency  to  exaggeration,  estimated  the  population  of  this 
limited  district,  at  the  time  of  the  Conquest,  at  forty 
thousand  souls.2 

At  present,  scarcely  any  pure-blood  remnants  of  either  of 
these  nations  can  be  found,  and  both  languages  are  practically 
extinct.  When  Mr.  Squier  visited  Nicaragua,  in  1850,  he 
obtained,  with  great  difficulty,  a  short  vocabulary  of  the 
Nahuatl  dialect,  spoken  on  the  island  of  Ometepec,  in  Lake 
Nicaragua;  and,  in  1874,  Dr.  Berendt,  only  at  the  cost  of 
repeated  efforts,  succeeded  in  securing  from  a  few  survivors 
of  advanced  ages  a  moderately  full  collection  of  Mangue 
words  and  sentences.3 

1  See  his  essay,  Remarks  on  the  Centres  of  Ancient  American  Civiliza- 
tion in  Central  A/nerica,  and  their  Geographical  Distribution,  in  the 
Bulletin  of  the  American  Geog.  Soc.  No.  3,  18 j6. 

2  Historia  General  de  las  Indias,  Lib.  XLII,  cap.  V. 

3  The  older  writers  have  left  scant  information  about  these  idioms. 
Oviedo  preserved  thirty  or  forty  Nahuatl  words,  most  of  which  have  been 
analyzed  by  Buschman ;  and  Benzoni,  in  a  brief  passage,  notes  the  identity 
of  the  Nicaraguan  and  Mexican.  ^  Chiamano  li  Signori  Tutruane,  il 
pane  tascal,  and  le  galline  totoli,  and  occomaia  tanto  vuol  dire  como 
aspetta  un  poco  e  al  infirmita  mococoua  and  al  ballare  mitote."  La  His- 
toria del  Mondo  Nuovo,  p.  103.  It  is  said  that  a  Doctrina  was  printed  in 
the  Mangue  ;  but  the  only  work  on  that  tongue  I  know  of  is  the  Apun- 


xii 


INTRODUCTION. 


MAP  OF  THE  LOCATION  OF  THE  NAHUAS  OF  NICARAGUA  AND  THEIR  NEIGHBORS. 


tamientos  de  la  Lengua  Mangue,  by  Don  Juan  Eligio  de  la  Rocha  (MS. 
Masaya,  1842)  a  fragment  of  which  is  in  my  possession. 

Dr.  S.  Habel,  who  visited  Nicaragua  in  1865,  in  spite  of  the  greatest 
efforts,  was  unable  to  find  a  single  person  speaking  Nahuatl ;  they  told  him 
it  was  all  forgotten. — Archaeological  and  Ethnological  Investigations  in 
Central  and  South  America,  p.  24  (Washington,  1878). 


THE  NAHUAS  AND  MANGUES.  xili 


To  illustrate  the  practical  identity  of  the  Nahuatl  of  Nica- 
ragua with  that  of  Anahuac,  and  the  Mangue  of  Nicaragua 
with  that  of  Chiapas,  I  will  insert  two  short  lists  of  common 
words  with  their  equivalents  in  those  four  dialects.  The  first 
is  from  Mr.  Squier's  works  above  referred  to,  the  second  from 
the  manuscripts  of  Dr.  Berendt  now  in  my  possession. 

Comparison  of  the  Nahuatl  of  Nicaragua  and  of  Mexico. 


Nahuatl 

Nahuatl 

English. 

OF 

OF 

Nicaragua. 

Anahuac. 

God,  .    .  . 

.    teot.  .    .  . 

.    .    .  teotl. 

Man 

tlacat.   .  • 

tlacatl. 

Woman, .  . 

.    ciuat.    .  . 

.    .    .  ciuatl. 

Head,     .  . 

.    tzonteco.  . 

.    .  totzontecon. 

Foot,  .    .  . 

.    hixt. .    .  . 

;    .    .  ycxitl. 

Dog,  .    .  . 

izcuindi.  . 

.    .    .  itzcuintli. 

Deer,  .    .  . 

.    mazat.  .  . 

.    .    .  mazatl. 

Rabbit,   .  . 

.    toste.     .  . 

.    .  tochtli. 

Fire,  .    .  . 

.    tlet.  .    .  . 

.    .    .  tletl. 

Water,    .  . 

.at.  ... 

.    .    .  atl. 

House,    .  . 

.    calli.     .  . 

.    .    .  calli. 

Maize,     .  . 

.    centl.    .  . 

.    .    .  centli. 

Rain,  .    .  . 

.    quiavit. .  . 

.    .    .  quiahuitl. 

Flower,  . 

.    sochit.  . 

.  xochitl. 

Wind,     .  . 

.    hecat.    .  . 

.    .    .  ehecatl. 

Snake,    .  . 

.    coat.     .  . 

.    .    .  coatl. 

Eagle,     .  . 

.    oate.     .  . 

.    .    .  quauhtli, 

Flint,  .    .  . 

.  topecat. 

.    .    .  tecpatl. 

Mountain,  . 

.    tepee.   .  . 

.    .    .  tepee. 

One,  .    .  . 

.   ce.    .   .  . 

.   .    .  ce. 

Two,  .    .  . 

.    ome..    .  . 

.    .    .  ome. 

Three,    .  . 

.    ye.   .    .  . 

,    .    .  yei. 

Four,  .    .  . 

.    nau. .    .  . 

.    .  naui. 

Five,  .    .  . 

.    macuil. .  . 

.    .    .  macuilli. 

Comparison 

of  the  Mangue 

with  the  Chapanec 

Mangub 

Mangue 

English. 

OF 

of 

Nicaragua. 

Chiapas. 

Man  (homo), 

Man  (vir),  . 

Woman, .  . 

.    najui.    .  . 

.    .    .  najui. 

Father,   .  . 

Mother,  .  . 

xiv 


INTRODUCTION. 


Mangue 

Mangue 

English.  of 

of 

Nicaragua. 

Chiapas. 

Head, 

.    .    .    gu  t/ima.  .  . 

,    .  tjfima. 

Eye,  . 

Ear,  . 

Foot,  . 

chief),    mankeme. .  . 

taku.  ^ 

Ruler  (or 

d/ama  oTrnangneme 

Dog,  . 

Mouse, 

Bird,  . 

Snake, 

Fire,  . 

Water, 

Y"i  i  m  nil 

House, 

nangu. 

Maize, 

Wind, 

Hill,  . 

.    .    .    diri,  tiri.     .  . 

.    .  dili. 

One,  . 

.    .    .  tike  

.    .  tike. 

Two,  . 

Three, 

Four,  . 

Five,  . 

It  needs  but  a  cursory  glance  at  these  lists  to  see  that, 
while  there  is  scarcely  a  dialectic  difference  between  the  two 
Nahuatl  columns,  and  again  between  the  two  Mangue  columns, 
there  is  absolutely  no  point  of  contact  between  Mangue  and 
Nahuatl. 

The  chief  differences  between  Nicaraguan  and  pure  Nahuatl 
were,  that  the  former  changed  the  double  consonant  //  into  /, 
or  dropped  it  altogether;  that  the  c,  ch  and  q  were  con- 
founded ;  that,  in  the  conjugation,  they  dropped  the  prefix 
tla,  which  in  pure  Nahuatl  is  employed  to  indicate  that  the 
inanimate  object  of  the  verb  is  not  expressed ;  that  certain 
terminal  consonants,  as  x,  were  dropped  ;  and  apparently  that 
the  sounds  of  s  and  r,  not  known  to  the  tongue  in  its  purity, 
were  introduced. 

The  linguistic  relations  of  the  Mangue  or  Chapanec  tongue 
have  never  been  ascertained.  I  have  compared  it  with  the 
principal  stocks  in  the  northern  continent,  as  well  as  with  the 
great  Tupi-Guarani  stem,  which  has  extensive  affiliations  in 


THE  NAHUAS  AND  MANGUES. 


XV 


Central  America,  but  without  discovering  any  analogies  of 
value.  It  does  appear,  however,  to  have  a  certain,  though  far 
from  close,  relationship  to  the  Aymara  tongue,  spoken  in  the 
Peruvian  Andes,  and  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  Lake  Titicaca, 
the  celebrated  site  of  a  remarkable  ancient  civilization.  The 
following  list  of  common  words  seems  to  indicate  this.  The 
Aymara  is  taken  from  the  dictionary  of  that  tongue,  by 
Father  Ludovico  Bertonio,  while  the  dialects  of  the  Mangue 
are  discriminated  by  N,  for  Nicaraguan,  and  C,  for  Cha- 
panec. 

Comparison  of  the  Mangue,  or  Chapanec,  of  Central 
America,  with  the  Aymara,  of  Peru. 

English.  Mangue  or  Chapanec.  Aymara. 

Father,  .    poua  (C)   pucara. 

Man,  .  .    naha  (C)   chacha. 

Child,  .  .  nasungi  (N).  .    .    .  inasu. 

Ear,    .  .  nyuhui  (N).   .    .    .  hinchu. 

Eye,    .  .    nahte(N)   nahui. 

Bone,  .  .    nyui  (N)   cayu. 

Fire,    .  .  niiu  (C),  nyayu  (N).  nina. 

Water,  .  nimbu  (C).    .    .    .  vma. 

River,  .  .    naju  (C)   mayu,  jahu. 

Wind,  .  .    tihu  (C)   thaa. 

Feathers,,    lari  (C)   lauralua  (colored). 

Maize,  .  .    nama  (C)   ccama. 

Earth,  .  .  nekapu  (C).  .    .    .  fieke,  clay,  yapu,  soil. 

Sky,    .  .  naku  paju  (C).  .    .  hanac  {or  alakh)  pacha. 

Blind,  .  .    saapi  (C)   saapi. 

Dumb,  .  napamu  (C).  .    .    .  amu. 

Great,  .  .    yaka  (C)   haccha. 

Bitter,  .  .    atsi  (C)   cata. 

Dead,  .  .    tuhua  (C)   hihua. 

To  eat,  .    koita  (N)   kauita  (to  eat  apples,  etc). 

Food,  .  .  nomota  (C).  .    .    .  mama'ta. 

To  go, .  .    ota  (C)   aatha. 

Thou,  .  .    cimo  (C)   huma. 

You  (pi),  .  cimecmo  (C).     .    .  humasa. 

There  are  also  various  grammatical  similarities  between  the 
two  tongues.  Both  are  highly  synthetic;  in  both  the  division 
of  nouns  is  "  vitalistic,"  that  is,  into  animate  and  inanimate; 


xvi 


INTRODUCTION. 


the  numeral  system  is  in  both  the  decimal ;  in  both  the 
possessive  pronoun  follows  the  noun ;  both  possess  the  in- 
clusive and  exclusive  plural ;  and  others  could  be  men- 
tioned. 

It  is  known  that  the  Aymara  partakes  largely  of  the 
elements  of  the  Qquichua,  and  by  some  is  classified  merely 
as  a  dialect  of  that  tongue.  Such  similarities  as  appear  to 
exist  between  Mangue  and  Aymara  are,  however,  less  with 
the  words  and  forms  common  to  these  two  Peruvian  idioms, 
but  rather  more  with  those  wherein  the  Aymara  differs  from 
the  Qquichua. 

With  the  trenchant  differences  above  indicated,  between 
the  Nahuatl  and  the  Mangue,  it  is  the  more  singular  to  observe 
how  the  Nahuatl  obtained  the  preponderance.  We  may 
attribute  this  to  the  superior  fighting  power  of  the  Aztec 
invaders ;  to  the  fact  that  many  of  the  native  allies  of  the 
Spanish  could  speak  that  tongue  and  not  the  Mangue ;  that 
the  early  missionaries  came  from  Mexico ;  or,  that  the  Nahuatl 
was  promptly  reduced  to  writing,  while  the  Mangue  was  not ; 
or  to  all  these  causes  combined.1  Certain  it  is,  that  at  an 
early  date  a  mixed  dialect  came  into  vogue,  both  in  the 
Mangue  districts  of  Nicaragua  and  elsewhere  in  Central 
America,  composed  of  a  broken-down  Nahuatl  and  a  corrupt 
Spanish,  which,  at  first,  served  as  a  means  of  communication 
between  the  conquerors  and  their  subjects,  and  later  became, 
to  some  degree,  the  usual  tongue  of  the  latter.  The  Aztecs 
of  pure  blood  spoke  contemptuously  of  this  jargon  as  in 
macehuallatolli,  the  language  of  slaves,  and  Father  Carochi, 
writing  little  more  than  a  century  after  the  conquest,  con- 

1  The  superior  position  of  the  Nahuatl  among  the  Nicaraguan  languages 
was  noted  by  Benzoni,  in  his  visit  to  that  country,  as  early  as  about  1550. 
He  observes  :  "  Parlano  in  Nicaragua  quatro  lenguaggi,  pero  la  meglio  e  la 
Messicana,  laquale  si  stende  piu  di  mille  e  cinquecento  miglia  di  paese 
and  h  la  piu  facile  da  imparare." — Istoria  del  Nuovo  Mondo,  p.  103 
(Venetia,  1565). 


THE  NAHUAS  AND  MANGUES. 


xvii 


demned  it  as  a  hodge-podge  of  Spanish  and  Aztec,  unintelli- 
gible in  either  tongue.1 

This  jargon  was  carried  into  the  various  nations  who  came 
into  contact  with  the  Spaniards  and  half-breeds,  and  hence 
we  may  find  scattered  words  traceable  to  it  in  many  of  their 
tongues,  and  sometimes  formulas  of  a  religious,  social  or 
business  character.2  This  is  strikingly  exemplified  among  the 
Mangues,  and  the  fact  is  one  of  considerable  interest  in  con- 
nection with  the  literary  production  which  is  the  main  topic 
of  this  volume.  Even  to  a  recent  day,  in  remote  haciendas 
of  the  Province  of  Masaya,  among  the  descendants  of  the 
Mangues,  the  traveler  might  hear  the  grace  before  meals, 
and  other  short  formulas  of  the  Church,  spoken  in  this 
mixed  patois. 

The  following  is  a  specimen  : — 

Jesu  Criste  no  tecua.se  -f-  tunanse  Santa  Maria  -f-  el  Apostol 
Santa  Clara  nos  bendiga  esta  comida  que  tienen  parte  y  poder. 
Amen. 

Here,  no  tecuase  is  the  Nahuatl  no  tecuyotzin,  Our  Lord,  and 
tunanse  is  for  tonantzin,  Our  Lady,  or  Mother. 
Another  specimen  is  : — 

Marias  te  cuasti  +  Marias  ticuisti  guanse  Dios  +  y  Espiritu 
Santo. 

The  correct  reading  of  which  should  probably  be — 

Maria  tocihuatzin,  Maria  toquitznitli,  yhuan  in  Dios,  yhuan  in 
Espiritu  Santo. 

1  "  Una  mezcla  de  Castellano  y  Mexicano,  que  ni  en  uno  ni  en  otro 
idioma  se  entiende." — Compendio  del  Arte  de  la  Lengua  Mexicana, 
pp.  93,  202. 

2  Speaking  of  the  natives  of  Nicaragua  and  Honduras,  Father  Francisco 
Vasquez  says :  "  Muchos  de  aquellos  Indios  por  la  comunicacion  que 
tienen  con  gente  ladina  de  las  estancias  vecinas  alcanzan  mucho  de  la 
lengua  Castellana." — Historia  de  la  Provincia  de  Guatemala.  Parte  II, 
Lib.  V,  Trat.  I,  Cap.  I  (Guatemala,  17 16). 


xviii 


INTRODUCTION. 


This  Nahuatl-Spanish  jargon  became  the  lingua  franca  of 
large  districts  of  Central  America  and  Mexico.  It  was  the 
current  tongue  of  the  half-breeds,  and  to  this  day  is  the  patois 
of  the  muleteers  who  carry  on  the  sparse  commerce  of  the 
interior  mountainous  regions.  Many  of  its  Spanish  elements 
are  ungrammatical,  and  others  are  long  since  obsolete  in  the 
classical  tongue.  It  is  interlarded  with  words  and  whole 
phrases  borrowed  from  the  Aztec,  but  with  such  mutilations 
that  they  are  scarcely,  or  not  at  all,  recognizable.  Words 
from  other  native  languages  have  crept  in,  which  adds  to  the 
difficulty  of  its  lexicography.  As  for  the  construction,  it  be- 
came looser  and  looser,  until,  in  some  phrases,  all  inflectional 
elements  disappear,  and  there  is  a  naked  juxtaposition  of 
nominal  and  verbal  roots,  the  relation  of  which  must  be 
guessed  simply  from  their  sequence. 

Probably  in  none  of  the  Spanish  provinces  has  the  Castilian 
suffered  more  from  such  admixture  than  in  Nicaragua.  The 
foreign  words  are  there  so  numerous  that  the  country  patois 
becomes  nearly  unintelligible  to  one  acquainted  only  with 
the  Spanish  of  the  Academy.  Here  is  the  verse  of  a  song, 
for  example,  in  that  dialect,  which  will  illustrate  how  far  the 
amalgamation  with  the  native  tongues  has  gone.  The  words 
in  italic  are  either  Nahuatl  or  Mangue  : — 

"  Casahuyano,  mi  amor, 

Por  vos  este  payaneado. 

No  seas  tilinte,  mi  bien." 
"  Se  selegue,  duefio  amado." 

"  My  love,  between  girlhood  and  womanhood, 

My  heart  is  breaking  for  you. 

Do  not  be  severe,  my  loved  one." 
"  I  am  yet  unripe,  my  beloved  master."1 

1  This  verse  is  from  a  song  by  Dr.  Gollena,  a  highly  appreciated  poet 
of  Guatemala,  who  has  written,  but  I  believe  never  published,  some  poems 
in  the  Nicaraguan  dialect. 


DRAMATIC  DANCES. 


xix 


Another  song,  in  which  the  lover  expresses  the  strength  of 
his  devotion  with  more  force  than  elegance,  has  the  following 
verse  : — 

"  O  fuera  yo  carangano , 

En  tus  cojines  me  meteria 
Para  servirte  todo  el  dia. 
Te  ama  este  zangano." 

Which  may  be  freely  rendered — 

"Were  I  a  little  louse,  I'd  go 

In  your  puffed  and  plaited  hair; 
With  you  all  your  toil  I'd  share  ; 
This  lazy  fellow  loves  you  so." 

The  carangano  is  the  name  of  a  species  of  louse,  and  the 
cojines  are  the  little  pads  or  cushions  which  women  wear  in 
their  hair. 

In  this  dialect  several  satirical  and  political  songs  have 
been  composed,  and,  indeed,  the  licentiate  Geronimo  Perez, 
of  Masaya,  is  stated  to  have  printed  in  it  a  political  pamphlet, 
which  I  regret  not  to  have  been  able  to  obtain. 

Such  is  the  jargon  in  which  the  Giiegilence  is  written,  and 
although  this  medley  of  tongues  can  claim  no  position  of 
dignity  in  the  hierarchy  of  languages,  it  has  its  own  peculiar 
points  of  interest,  as  illustrating  the  laws  of  the  degradation — 
which  is  but  another  term  for  the  evolution  and  progress — of 
human  speech.  To  understand  its  origin  and  position  as  a 
literary  effort,  we  must  review  the  development  of  scenic 
representations  in  that  part  of  the  New  World. 

§  2.   The  Bailes,  or  Dramatic  Dances  of  Nicaragua. 

The  historian,  Fernandez  de  Oviedo,  who  was  in  Nicaragua 
in  1529,  gives  a  long  account  of  the  dramatic  representations, 
or  rites,  accompanied  by  songs,  dances  and  masked  actors, 
which  he  witnessed  among  the  natives  of  both  Nahuatl  and 
Mangue  lineage  in  that  province.    They  took  place  at  stated 


XX 


INTRODUCTION. 


seasons,  and  at  certain  epochs  in  the  year.  The  name  which 
he  gives  as  that  by  which  they  were  locally  known  is  mitote, 
which  is  the  Aztec  mitotl,  a  dance.  He  himself  calls  them 
areytos,  a  Haytian  word  from  the  Arawack  aririn,  to  sing, 
and  bailes,  which  is  Spanish,  from  a  classical  root,  and  means 
dances. 

One  which  he  saw  at  Tecoatega,  at  that  time  a  Nahuatl 
village,  was  celebrated  at  the  close  of  the  cacao  harvest  and 
in  honor  of  the  god  of  that  plant.  It  offered  a  curious 
symbolism,  which  makes  us  keenly  regret  the  absence  of  a 
full  explanation  by  some  learned  native.  In  the  centre  of 
the  village  square  a  straight  pole  was  set  up  about  forty  feet 
in  height.  On  its  summit  was  placed  the  image  of  the  god, 
brilliantly  colored,  in  a  sitting  position.  Around  the  top  of 
the  pole  a  stout  grass  rope  was  tightly  wound,  its  two  free 
ends  passing  over  a  wooden  platform. 

When  the  ceremony  began,  about  seventy  men  appeared, 
some  dressed  as  women,  some  with  masks  and  head-dresses  of 
feathers,  and  all  painted  skillfully  on  the  naked  flesh  to  imitate 
handsome  costumes.  They  danced  in  pairs,  and  sang  in 
chorus  certain  songs,  to  the  sound  of  the  sacred  drums.  After 
about  half  an  hour,  two  boys,  who  had  been  attached  to  the 
free  ends  of  the  rope,  threw  themselves  from  the  platform 
into  the  air,  in  such  a  manner  that  they  turned  round  and 
round  the  pole,  unwinding  the  rope,  and  thus  gradually 
descended  toward  the  ground.  One  boy  held  in  one  hand  a 
bow,  in  the  other,  some  arrows ;  his  companion  held  in  one 
hand  a  fan  or  plume  of  feathers,  in  the  other  a  mirror,  such 
as  the  natives  made  of  polished  obsidian.  As  they  descended, 
which,  says  the  narrator,  required  about  as  long  a  time  as 
one  might  repeat  the  Creed  five  or  six  times,  the  dancers 
ceased  their  song,  and  only  the  players  on  the  instruments, 
some  ten  or  a  dozen  in  number,  continued  their  noise.  But, 
just  as  the  boys,  by  the  increasing  length  of  the  unwound 
cord,  touched  the  soil,  all  present  set  up  a  great  shout,  and 


DRAMATIC  DANCES. 


xxi 


the  festival  ceased.1  The  cut  which  I  have  inserted  is  taken 
from  Oviedo's  history,  and  represents  the  performance. 


ANCIENT  DANCE  IN  NICARAGUA. 


1  Oviedo,  Historic,  General  de  las  Indias,  Lib.  XLII,  cap.  XI.  Pre- 
cisely  this  baile,  or  one  altogether  like  it,  is  described  by  Diego  Duran  as 
common  in  Mexico  in  his  day  (about  1580).  He  writes:  "  Tambien 
usaban  bailar  al  rededor  de  un  volador  alto  vistiendose  corao  pajaros  y 
otras  veces  como  monas  volaban  de  lo  alto  de  el  dejandose  venir  por  unas 
cuerdas  que  en  la  punta  de  este  palo  estan  arolladas,  desliandose  poco  a 
poco  por  un  bastidor  que  tiene  arriba,"  etc. — Historia  de  las  Indias  de 
Nueva  Espana.    Tomo  II,  p.  232  (Mexico,  1880). 

C 


xxii 


INTRODUCTION. 


To  one  familiar  with  Nahuatl  symbolism,  the  meaning  of 
this  ceremony  is,  in  a  general  way,  obvious.  The  seated 
divinity  on  the  summit  of  the  pole  represents  the  god  of 
fertility  throned  in  the  heavens.  The  two  boys  are  the  mes- 
sengers he  sends  to  earth  ;  the  arrows  refer  to  the  light- 
nings which  he  hurls  below ;  the  feather  fan  typifies  the 
breezes  and  the  birds ;  the  mirror,  the  waters  and  rains. 
After  the  mortals  have  prayed  in  chants,  for  a  certain  season, 
the  god  sends  his  messengers;  men  wait  in  suspense  their 
arrival,  whether  it  shall  be  for  good  or  for  ill  hap  ;  and  as  they 
reach  the  earth,  a  shout  of  joy  is  raised,  for  the  food  has 
ripened  and  been  gathered  in,  and  the  harvest-home  is 
ended. 

In  the  same  century  the  traveler  Giralamo  Benzoni,  who 
visited  Nicaragua  about  1540,  was  much  impressed  with  the 
native  dances.  At  certain  ones,  as  many  as  three  or  four 
thousand  Indians  assembled,  some  dancing,  others  playing  on 
drums,  while  others,  who  formed  the  chorus,  carried  on  the 
singing.  The  dancers  displayed  great  agility,  and  practiced 
a  large  variety  of  figures.  They  were  ornamented  with 
feathers  and  plumes,  and  strings  of  shells  were  attached  to 
their  arms  and  legs.1 

The  Mangues  of  Chiapas,  or  the  Chapanecs,  near  relatives, 
as  we  have  seen,  of  the  Mangues  of  Nicaragua,  were  famous 
in  the  days  of  Thomas  Gage,  the  English  priest,  who  traveled 
through  Mexico  and  Nicaragua  about  1630, 2  for  their  dexterity 
in  games  and  the  elaborate  scenery  of  their  dramatic  repre- 

1  Historia  del  Nuovo  Mondo,  fol.  103  (Venetia,  1565).  Benzoni  gives  a 
wood  cut  exhibiting  the  dances,  but  it  is  not  instructive.  Another  traveler, 
Francois  Coreal,  claimed  to  have  visited  Nicaragua  about  1680,  and  also 
describes  the  native  dances,  but  in  words  so  similar  to  Benzoni  that  it  is  an 
evident  plagiarism. — Relation  des  Voyages  de  Fran{ois  Coreal  aux  /tides 
Occidentals,  Tome  I,  p.  88  (Amsterdam,  1722). 

2  Thomas  Gage,  A  New  Survey  of  the  West  Indies,  p.  234  (4th  Ed. 
London,  1699). 


DRAMATIC  DANCES. 


xxiii 


sentations.  "As  for  acting  of  Plays,"  he  says,  "this  is  a 
common  part  of  their  solemn  Pastimes." 

This  passion  for  scenic  performances  was  by  no  means 
peculiar  to  these  tribes.  It  extended  throughout  almost  the 
whole  of  the  Red  Race,  and  there  are  many  relics  of  it  which 
have  survived.  The  older  authors  refer  to  it  frequently,  and 
the  early  missionaries,  finding  that  they  could  not  extinguish 
it,  sought  to  turn  it  to  good  account  by  substituting  for  the 
native  plays,  which  were  idolatrous  or  licentious,  moral  and 
instructive  pieces.  They  encouraged  the  more  intelligent 
natives  and  half-breeds  to  prepare  such,  and  they  were  acted 
in  connection  with  church  festivals. 

But  it  would  be  an  error  to  suppose  that  these  attempts 
succeeded  completely  in  abolishing  the  older  forms,  or 
quenched  entirely  the  tribal  historical  character  of  these 
ceremonies.  Even  within  our  own  generation  the  contrary 
of  this  has  been  recognized  by  close  observers.  Thus  the 
cura  of  Jutiapa,  a  town  in  Guatemala,  Don  Jose  Antonio 
Urrutia,  wrote,  in  1856  :  "In  most  of  the  Indian  towns  the 
custom  is  still  general  of  preserving  a  knowledge  of  great 
events  in  their  history  by  means  of  representations,  called 
bailes  (dances),  which  are,  in  fact,  dances  in  the  public 
squares,  on  the  days  or  evenings  of  great  solemnities.  It  is 
most  interesting  for  one  who  understands  something  of  the 
language  to  participate  in  these  bailes,  as  he  can  thereby 
obtain  some  knowledge  of  the  most  remote  traditions  and 
events  in  the  history  of  the  Indians."  1 

Confining  our  attention  to  the  limits  of  Nicaragua,  we  find 
that  the  different  bailes  represented  there  within  the  memory  of 
persons  still  living  may  be  arranged  in  five  different  classes:  — 

1  Letter  to  the  London  Athaneum,  1856,  p.  1537.  Oviedo  also  states 
that  the  songs  sung  at  certain  bailes  were  of  an  historical  character,  intended 
to  recall  the  important  incidents  in  personal  and  tribal  history,  "  que  les 
quedan  en  lugar  de  historia  e  memoria  de  las  cosas  pasadas." — Historia 
General  de  las  Indias,  Lib.  XLII,  cap.  XI. 


xxiv 


INTRODUCTION. 


1.  Simple  dances. 

2.  Dances  with  songs. 

3.  Dances  with  prose  recitation. 

4.  Scenic  recitations  with  music,  by  a  single  actor.  These 
are  called  Logas. 

5.  Complete  dramas,  with  music,  ballets,  dialogue,  and 
costumes. 

Most  of  these  have  a  religious  purpose.  Thus,  it  is  still  a 
common  custom,  in  case  of  sickness  or  impending  danger,  to 
make  a  vow  that,  in  case  of  escape,  the  person  will  dance 
before  the  image  of  some  saint  on  a  certain  day,  at  a  certain 
place,  usually  at  a  festival.1  Such  dances  are  sometimes 
accompanied  with  songs  or  chants  of  praise,  or  are  performed 
in  silence.    The  performer  is  usually  masked  or  in  costume. 

It  would  be  erroneous  to  suppose  that  there  is  much  gaiety 
in  their  dances.  At  least,  it  is  not  apparent  to  foreign  eyes. 
The  music  is  monotonous  and  almost  lugubrious,  the  singing 
is  all  in  the  minor  key,  and  the  motions  are  dull,  mechanical 
and  ungraceful.  A  European  traveler  has,  indeed,  charac- 
terized these  spectacles  rather  as  an  exhibition  of  profound 
melancholy,  than  outbursts  of  merriment,  and  has  instanced 
them  as  a  proof  of  the  psychical  inferiority  of  the  race  ! 2 

Some  of  them,  even  to  this  day,  as  continued  by  the  lower 
half-caste  population,  are  accused  of  an  indecency  which  may 

1  "  Hay  santos  a  quienes  se  hace  el  voto,  en  caso  de  enfermedad  u  de 
desgracia  de  ir  a  bailar  ante  su  imagen,  en  tal  pueblo,  el  dia  de  su  fiesta, 
cuando  le  sacan  procesionalmente."— Pablo  Levy,  Notas  Geograficas  y 
Econonricas  sobre  la  Republica  de  Nicaragua,  p.  281  (Paris,  1873). 

.2  «  Welligt  blijkt  de  geesteloosheid  dezer  menschen  nit  niets  zoo  zeer 
als  uit  hunne  dansen,  een  vermaak,  hetwelk  trouwens  vrij  zeldzaam  onder 
hen  is.  Bij  het  eentoonige  geluid  van  een  paar  fluiten,  en  het  kloppen  op 
een  hoi  blok  hout,  draaijen  mannen  en  vrouwen  afzonderlijk,  langzaam 
en  bedaard,  in  alle  rigtingen  herom,  en  schijnen  veeleer  diepe  treurigheid 
dan  vreugde  aan  den  dag  te  leggen." — J.  Haefkens,  Centraal  America, 
p.  407  (Dordrecht,  1832). 


DRAMATIC  DANCES. 


XXV 


be  a  reminiscence  of  ancient  Indian  religious  rites;1  for  we 
know  that  the  native  Nicaraguans  celebrated  a  festival  strictly 
similar  to  that  in  ancient  Babylon,  so  condemned  by  the 
prophet,  during  which  every  woman,  of  whatever  class,  had 
the  right  to  yield  her  person  to  whom  she  would,  without 
incurring  blame  or  exciting  jealousy. 

The  Logas  seem  to  be  peculiar  to  the  Mangues.  A  small 
theatre  is  extemporized,  music  is  provided,  and  the  actor 
comes  forward,  arrayed  in  some  odd  garb,  and  recites  a  sort 
of  poem,  with  gestures  and  dancing  movements.  The  text 
of  one  of  these  was  obtained  at  Namotiva  by  Dr.  Berendt, 
and  is  in  my  possession.  It  is  entitled,  Logo,  del  Nirio  Dios, 
and  contains  about  two  hundred  lines.  The  language  is  a 
corrupt  Spanish,  with  a  number  of  Mangue  words  interspersed. 
The  exordium  reads — 

"  Atienda,  Senores, 
Pongan  atencion 
Del  Mangue  tiyo  Pegro 
La  conversacion." 

The  theme  is  an  address  to  the  patron  saints  and  the  infant 
Jesus,  but  the  tone  is  that  of  a  burlesque,  rather  than  a  serious 
composition.  The  costume  of  the  orator,  and  his  surround- 
ings, the  little  theatre,  the  holy  infant,  etc.,  are  represented 
in  the  frontispiece  to  this  work,  from  a  sketch  taken  from  life.3 

Frequently  a  number  of  persons  join  in  the  dance.  Such  is 
one,  still  occasionally  seen,  called  Las  Inditas,  the  Little 
Indian  Girls.    The  period  of  its  celebration  is  on  the  day  of 

1  Such  dances  are  the  "  bailes  usados  en  el  populacho,  y  que  estan  muy 
lejos  de  brillar  por  su  desencia,"  referred  to  by  Don  Pablo  Levy,  JVbtas, 
etc.,  sobre  Nicaragua,  p.  294. 

2  The  word  Loga  is,  I  have  no  doubt,  a  corruption  of  the  Spanish  loa. 
The  has  in  Spain  were  at  first  rhymed  prologues  to  the  plays,  but  later 
took  a  more  dramatic  form  and  "  differed  little  from  the  farces  that  fol- 
lowed them."  See  George  Ticknor,  History  of  Spanish  Literature,  vol. 
ii,  pp.  527-529  (5th  edition). 


xxvi 


INTRODUCTION. 


1 


St.  Jerome.  The  women  are  masked,  and  wear  a  loose 
mantle,  a  skirt  with  lace  edging,  a  sash  of  rose  color,  and  a 
hat  with  feathers.  They  carry  bouquets  and  have  a  silk 
handkerchief  fastened  around  the  waist,  the  ends  meeting 
over  the  hips.  The  men  are  in  grotesque  costumes,  with  ugly 
masks.  They  dance  in  couples,  but  without  touching  each 
other.  The  music  is  the  marimba  and  the  guitar.  The  songs 
usually  turn  on  some  matter  of  local  interest. 

Another  favorite  dance  is  the  Baile  de  Chinegritos,  cele- 
brated by  the  Mangues.  This  name  is  applied  to  the  masque- 
raders  who  take  part  in  it.  They  wear  a  cap  of  black  straw, 
and  the  body  is  naked  to  the  waist,  and  painted.  Each 
carries  a  stick  or  the  dried  yard  of  a  bull,  and  in  turn  lifts  a 
companion  from  the  ground  and  strikes  him  with  the  whip. 
One,  who  keeps  himself  apart  from  the  rest,  is  called  the  rucia, 
or  yeguita,  the  mare.  He  is  in  a  framework  of  cane  adorned 
with  women's  skirts  and  colored  handkerchiefs,  supposed  to 
represent  some  animal.  There  is  no  fixed  day  for  the  dance, 
but  it  is  usually  carried  out  in  fulfillment  of  a  vow.  A  variety 
of  this  baile,  called  Chinegritos  a  caballo,  is  performed  by 
mounted  actors,  in  brilliant  costumes,  with  gaily  capari- 
soned horses.  They  are  accompanied  by  music,  and  draw 
up  in  front  of  a  house,  where  they  sing  a  song  with  a  monoto- 
nous chorus,  le-le-le-le-le-le-le-li-u. 

The  Baile  de  Negritos  is  celebrated  on  the  festivals  of  St. 
James  and  St.  Anna.  The  participants  are  on  horseback, 
themselves  and  their  steeds  adorned  with  bright-colored 
sashes  and  garlands  of  flowers.  They  all  wear  the  mosote,  or 
black  straw  hat,  from  which  this  and  the  preceding  dance 
derive  their  names.1  The  songs  which  they  sing  are  called 
Ensaladas,  salads  or  medleys,  and  usually  contain  personal 
allusions. 

The  Baile  de  Toro-Guaca,  the  Dance  of  the  Graveyard 
1  "Mosote.    Un  casco  6  gorra  de  cabuya  tenida  negra,  con  cola  a  trensa, 
usada  en  el  baile  de  los  Chinegritos." — Berendt,  MSS. 


DRAMATIC  DANCES. 


xxvii 


Bull,1  as  it  may  be  rendered,  is  presented  on  the  festival  of 
the  Virgin,  of  St.  Jerome,  and  other  days,  in  accordance 
with  a  vow.  It  requires  fourteen  dancers  and  seventeen 
masqueraders.  The  "bull"  is  represented  by  a  framework 
of  reeds,  surmounted  by  a  pair  of  horns  and  gaily  decorated. 

Other  such  exhibitions  are  called  the  Baile  de  diablitos, 
Baile  de  la  Yeguita,  Baile  de  San  Roman,  Baile  de  San  Mar- 
tin, Baile  del  Toro  y  Venado,  Baile  del  Mantudo  (in  which 
a  desperado,  with  numerous  chichiltes,  small  bells,  appears), 
besides  some  representations  of  Bible  scenes,  as  the  combat 
between  David  and  Goliath,  etc. 

Although  most  of  these  are  accompanied  by  songs,  and 
some  by  dialogues,  they  do  not  seem  to  reach  to  the  height 
of  a  plot,  or  to  the  depicting  of  character  or  emotion.  Beside 
them,  however,  and  no  doubt  to  take  the  place  of  original 
compositions  of  a  similar  kind,  were  complete  dramatic 
creations. 

Many  of  these  were  religious  or  historical  plays,  arranged 
by  the  clergy,  and  offer  little  of  interest.  But  some  were 
of  a  secular  character,  and  appear  to  refer  to  historical 
events. 

One  was  The  Ollita  or  Canahuate.  It  was  acted  in  the 
Mangue  tongue  at  Masaya  as  late  as  1822,  but  the  text  is, 
unfortunately,  lost.  The  Ollita  is  the  name  of  the  whistling 
jar,  on  which,  and  on  the  drum,  a  lugubrious  musical  accom- 
paniment was  played.  The  name  Canahuate  is  said  to  have 
been  that  of  a  dialect  of  the  Mangue.  The  plot  turned  on  a 
proposed  marriage  between  an  old  man,  richly  dressed  in 
Spanish  garb,  and  a  native  princess.  The  chorus  and  assist- 
ants carried  bows,  arrows  and  quivers,  which  would  seem 
to  point  to  an  early  date  as  that  of  the  supposed  trans- 
action. 

1  "  Guaca.  Montecillo  de  sepultura  de  los  inhabitantes  antiguos. 
Cueva  ;  madriguera  de  animales.  Hoyo  subteraneo  para  madurar  6  guar- 
dar  frutas  y  verduras." — Berendt,  MSS. 


xxviii 


INTRODUCTION. 


§  j.  Nicaragnan  Musical  Instruments  and  Music. 

The  musical  instruments  of  the  natives  of  Nicaragua,  men- 
tioned by  Oviedo,  are  drums,  flutes  of  reeds,  and  excoletes,  or 
trumpets.  This,  however,  by  no  means  exhausted  the  list, 
and  several  others  of  similar  powers  have  been  retained  to 
the  present  day,  and  have  been  referred  to  by  travelers  as  local 
curiosities.  Thus,  Mr.  Squier  writes  as  follows,  in  describing 
a  festival  in  Leon  de  Nicaragua :  "It  is  impossible  to  describe 
the  strange  instruments.  One  consisted  of  a  large  calabash, 
over  which  was  stretched  the  skin  of  some  animal ;  this,  when 
pressed  in,  recoiled  with  a  dull,  sullen  noise,  like  the  suppressed 
bellow  of  a  wild  beast,  and  the  wail  of  some  of  the  long  reeds 
was  like  that  of  a  man  in  the  agonies  of  a  violent  death."  1 

The  memoranda  that  I  have  obtained  from  various  sources 
enable  me  to  supply  this  omission  of  the  distinguished  traveler, 
and  to  make  out  the  following  list,  which  probably  is  not 
exhaustive. 

The  most  elaborate  is  the  Marimba.  Some  writers  say  that 
both  the  name  and  instrument  are  of  African  derivation, 
having  been  introduced  by  the  negroes.  Others  assert  that 
the  Indians  have  known  the  marimba  time  out  of  mind,  and 
undoubtedly  invented  it.  Certain  it  is,  that  they  develop 
singular  skill  in  its  management. 

A  good  description  and  illustration  of  it  are  given  by  von 
Tempsky,  from  whose  work  I  extract  them.2' 

"  They  [the  Indians  of  Central  America]  are  still  very  fond 
of  dancing,  and  are  very  good  musicians,  performing  on  a 
peculiar  instrument,  a  native  invention  of  antique  date,  the 
Marimba.  A  long,  horizontal  stick  supports  a  number  of 
jicaras  (or  long,  cylindrical  calabashes),  arranged  near  one 

1  Nicaragua,  Its  People,  Scenery  and  Monuments,  Vol.  I,  p.  340. 

2  Narrative  of  Incidents  on  a  Journey  in  Mexico,  Guatemala  and  San 
Salvador,  pp.  384-6  (London,  1858).  The  Smithsonian  Institution  con- 
tains a  good  specimen  of  the  Marimba. 


MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS. 


xxix 


another,  according  to  size,  from  two  feet  in  depth  to  four  or 
three  inches.  Over  the  mouth  of  each  of  them  is  drawn  a  thin 
piece  of  bladder,  and  over  it,  at  the  distance  of  a  quarter  of 
an  inch,  are  flat  pieces  of  a  very  hard  wood,  arranged  like 
the  claviature  of  a  piano.  These  oblong  pieces  of  wood  are 
supported  on  a  frame  of  light  wood,  joined  to  the  long  stick 
that  supports  the  row  of  jicaras  underneath.  Two  light  legs 
sustain  the  little  piano,  partly  on  the  ground,  and  a  hoop 
connects  it  with  the  player,  who  sits  within  the  hoop,  pressing 
it  on  a  bench. 


A  MARIMBA  PLAYER  AND  HIS  INSTRUMENT. 

"Two  long  drumsticks,  with  balls  of  India  rubber  at  their 
heads,  are  in  the  hands  of  the  player,  who  strikes  double  notes 
at  every  touch  of  the  wooden  claviature,  with  the  resounding 
jicaras  underneath.  The  sound  of  this  instrument  is  charm- 
ing, clear,  limpid  in  its  tones,  like  the  intonation  of  a  harp 
string  of  wire.  The  Indians  produce  the  justest  and  sweetest 
double  notes,  and  blend  a  rattling  tune  together  in  very 


XXX 


INTRODUCTION. 


harmonious  chords.  Their  talent  for  playing  this  instrument 
by  ear  is  astonishing ;  in  a  day,  they  will  pick  up  the  most 
difficult  air,  and  play  it  with  a  good  deal  of  expression, 
accompanied  with  a  chant  of  their  own  composition." 

Instead  of  calabashes,  earthen  jars  of  various  sizes  are 
occasionally  used  to  suspend  beneath  the  key  pieces;  or,  what 
in  some  districts  is  equally  common,  they  are  vertical  tubes 
of  cedar  wood  (Cedre/a  odorata).  As  described  by  the 
traveler  Morelet,  these  tubes  are  twenty-two  in  number,  all  of 
equal  diameter,  varying  in  length  from  ten  to  forty  centimeters? 
and  forming  three  complete  octaves  without  semitones.1  In 
many  of  the  bailes  this  is  the  favorite  means  of  music,  and  it 
is  often  associated  with  the  guitar. 

That  it  was  not  unknown  to  the  ancient  Aztecs  seems 
shown  from  the  following  drawing  from  an  original  Mexican 
painting  in  Duran's  Historia,  vA\zxt  the  player  does  not  appear 
to  be  striking  a  drum,  but  the  keys  of  the  marimba,  or  an 
instrument  of  that  nature. 


The  Drum  was,  and  remains,  a  favorite  instrument  in  Cen- 
tral America.  It  is  usually  formed  of  a  hollow  piece  of  wood, 
which  is  struck  with  sticks.  In  Nicaragua,  however,  some  of 
the  natives  use  a  short  piece  of  bamboo,  over  the  ends  of 
which  a  skin  is  stretched.  This  is  held  in  the  left  hand  and 
struck  with  the  tips  of  the  fingers  or  the  knuckles  of  the  right 
hand,  keeping  time  to  the  chant  or  song  of  the  performer, 

1  Arthur  Morelet,  Voyage  dans  V  Amerique  Centrale,  Tome  II,  pp.  42, 43 
(Paris,  1857). 


ANCIENT  AZTEC  MUSICIAN. 


MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS. 


xxxi 


xxxii 


INTRODUCTION. 


while  he  throws  himself  into  striking  and  extraordinary  atti- 
tudes. The  illustration  on  the  preceding  page,  from  a  sketch 
by  Dr.  Berendt,  shows  their  manner  of  performing  on  this 
instrument. 

These  two  varieties  of  drums  were  also  known  to  the 
ancient  Mexicans.  They  called  the  one  which  was  struck 
with  the  hand  the  huehuetle,  "ancient  object,"  and  that 
played  by  sticks,  teponaztli. 

The  Ollita,  or  Little  Jar,  is  an  instrument  still  remembered 
in  Nicaragua,  and  the  drama,  in  the  Mangue  dialect,  to 
which  I  have  referred,  bearing  this  name,  proves  that  it  was 
familiarly  known  at  Managua  early  in  this  century.  Its  sound 
is  described  as  grave  and  suitable  to  serious  emotions.  The 
identical  ollita  which  was  used  in  this  drama  was  preserved 
long  after  the  last  performance  of  the  play  (about  1822),  in 
the  chest  of  the  cofradia  of  San  Jose,  in  Managua ;  but  like 
so  many  other  valuable  relics,  it  disappeared  in  the  disturb- 
ances of  the  republic. 

From  the  name,  and  from  what  was  told  of  its  powers,  it 
was  evidently  not  merely  a  whistle,  but  a  sort  of  earthenware 
flute.  Such  were  known  in  Peru,  and  precisely  in  Nicaragua, 
on  the  island  of  Ometepec,  inhabited  at  the  Conquest  by  the 
Nahuas,  such  a  musical  jar  was  discovered  of  late  years,  and 
was  examined  and  its  musical  capacity  described  by  Dr. 
Berendt  in  the  following  words  :  — 

"  Held  with  the  two  hands,  the  lower  side  turned  upward, 
and  the  four  holes  managed  with  two  fingers  on  each  side, 
blowing  in  the  mouth  piece  yields  six  different  notes.  Any 
two  holes  covered  give  the  tonica,  one  only  covered  the 
secunda,  all  open  the  tertia,  and  by  hard  blowing  a  forced 
quarta ;  while  all  closed  produces  the  dominant  (quint)  in 
the  underlying  octave.  Three  holes  closed  yield  notes  not 
in  concordance  with  the  others,  varying  between  an  imperfect 
sext  and  a  diminished  septima  of  the  lower  octave.  But 


MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS.  XXxiii 


those  mentioned  as  in  accordance  permit  the  playing  of  many 
varied  tunes." 

The  shape  of  this  jar  is  shown  in  the  following  cut,  which 
was  prepared  for  an  interesting  article  on  Indian  Music  by 
Mr.  Edwin  A.  Barber,  in  the  American  Naturalist. 


EARTHENWARE  MUSICAL  JAR  FROM  NICARAGUA. 

It  was  capable  of  rendering  various  simple  tunes.  (See 
page  xxxiv.) 

The  Pita,  or  Whistle,  was  a  simpler  instrument  than  the 
OUita.  It,  also,  was  frequently  made  of  baked  clay,  and  in 
odd  shapes.  The  one  shown  in  the  following  cut  was  found 
on  the  Island  del  Zapatero,  in  Lake  Nicaragua,  which  was 


EARTHENWARE  WHISTLE  FROM  NICARAGUA. 


XXXIV  INTRODUCTION. 

NATIVE  FLUTE  MELODIES. 


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MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS. 


XXXV 


also  a  possession  of  the  Nahuas.  Two  apertures  lead  into 
the  cavity  of  the  instrument.  When  they  are  closed  with  the 
fingers,  a  higher  note  is  produced  than  when  they  are  open. 

In  the  investigations  prosecuted  in  Nicaragua  by  Dr.  J.  F. 
Bransford,  he  discovered  many  of  these  whistles  in  ancient 
burial  mounds.  Indeed,  in  the  district  of  Nicoya,  inhabited 
at  the  period  of  the  Conquest  by  the  Mangues,  he  states  that 
"  every  body  appeared  to  have  been  interred  with  a  small 
earthen  vessel  and  a  whistle."1  The  latter  are  usually  of  odd 
shapes,  representing  some  animal. 

The  following  cuts  are  taken  from  his  report : — 


WHISTLES  FROM  NICARAGUAN  BURIAL  MOUNDS. 

The  long  Flute,  either  of  cane,  or  of  earthenware,  was  found 
in  common  use  by  the  early  explorers  in  Central  America, 
Mexico  and  Florida.  The  Nahuas  of  Nicaragua  do  not  seem 
to  have  made  so  much  use  of  it  as  their  relatives  in  Mexico. 

The  Juco  is  employed  in  the  noisier  dances,  such  as  the 
Baile  de  Diabliios.  It  is  a  drinking  gourd  {iiambira),  or  jar, 
over  the  aperture  of  which  is  stretched  a  skin.  This  is  crossed 
by  a  cord,  to  which  is  attached  a  small  piece  of  wood,  which 
serves  as  a  clapper  when  the  instrument  is  shaken. 

1  Archceological  Researches  in  Nicaragua,  p.  75  (Washington,  1881). 


xxxvi 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  Quijongo  is  a  stringed  instrument,  made  by  fastening 
a  wooden  bow  with  a  stretched  cord  over  the  mouth  of  a  jar. 
A  hollow  reed,  about  five  feet  long  and  an  inch  and  a  half 
thick,  is  bent  by  a  wire  attached  to  the  ends.  This  wire  is 
then  tied  to  the  reed  at  one-third  the  distance  from  one  end, 
and  at  the  same  point,  on  the  convex  surface  of  the  reed,  a 
gourd,  or  thin  earthen  jar,  is  fastened,  with  its  mouth  down- 
ward. The  notes  are  produced  by  striking  the  two  sections 
of  wire  with  a  light  stick,  and  at  the  same  time  the  opening 
of  the  jar  is  more  or  less  closed  by  the  palm  of  the  left  hand, 
thus  producing  a  limited  number  of  notes,  which  are  varied 
by  changing  the  intervals. 


THE  QUIJONGO  OF  NICARAGUA. 


Among  the  Nahuatl  tribes  of  the  Balsam  coast,  this  is 
called  the  Carimba.  It  appears  to  have  been  an  aboriginal 
invention,  although  some  writers  have  asserted  that  the  Aztecs 
had  no  knowledge  of  any  stringed  instrument.  Something 
like  a  harp,  however,  is  represented  in  the  following  cut,  from 
the  Aztec  funerary  ritual,  where  a  priest  or  hired  mourner  is 
shown,  chanting  the  praise  of  the  departed,  and  accompany- 
ing his  words  with  music,  on  what  appears  to  be  a  rude 
stringed  instrument.    (See  page  xxxvii.) 

The  Chilchil  is  a  small  bell,  a  number  of  which  are  strung 
together  and  shaken.  This  is  an  ancient  Aztec  instrument, 
the  term  for  it  in  Nahuatl  being  Ayacachtli. 


MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS. 


xxxvii 


The  Cacho  is  a  sort  of  trumpet,  constructed  of  a  horn.  A 
blast  upon  it  can  be  heard  a  long  distance,  and  it  has  thus 
become  a  measure  of  length,  a  legua  de  cacho  being  the  dis- 
tance at  which  one  can  hear  the  horn  when  lustily  blown.  It 
is  said  to  be  rather  longer  than  a  Spanish  league. 


AZTEC  MOURNER    SINGING  AND  PLAYING. 

As  to  the  value  of  the  music  which  was  obtained  from 
these  instruments,  it  is  difficult  to  arrive  at  an  opinion  from 
capable  judges.  Nearly  all  who  have  been  in  a  position  to 
study  the  subject  have  lacked  acquaintance  with  the  scientific 
principles  and  developmental  history  of  music  as  an  art. 

Hence  it  has  usually  been  stated,  and  accepted  without 
inquiry,  that  the  aborigines  of  America  were  exceedingly  defi- 
cient in  musical  ability,  and  that  their  best  efforts  rarely  went 
beyond  creating  discordant  noise.  Late  investigations  by 
competent  critics  have  disproved  this  opinion,  and  show  that 
the  melodies  of  the  natives  are  in  accordance  with  a  recog- 
nized scale,  though  not  that  to  which  we  are  accustomed. 
For  a  parallel  we  must  go  back  to  the  ancient  Phrygian  and 
Lydian  measures,  where  we  shall  find  a  development  of  the 
art  in  a  similar  direction  to  that  among  the  natives  of  this 
D 


xxxviii 


INTRODUCTION. 


continent.1  As  is  remarked  by  Mr.  A.  S.  Gatschet,  "Although 
the  Indian  uses  all  the  seven  notes  of  our  musical  scales,  he 
avoids  many  of  our  melodial  sequences ;  the  majority  of  his 
tunes  follow  the  dur  or  sharp  scales,  and  the  two-eighths  or 
two-fourths  measure."  2 

In  Central  America,  the  native  race  has  a  keen  musical 
sense.  Von  Tempsky  found  that  they  learned  by  ear,  with 
great  ease,  the  compositions  of  Bellini ;  and  in  Vera  Paz 
and  among  the  Lacandons,  Morelet  heard  upon  the  Chi- 
ritnoya,  an  aboriginal  wind  instrument,  an  air  which  he 
characterizes  as  "  very  remarkable  "  and  "extremely  touch- 
ing." What  brings  this  air  into  relation  to  my  present 
theme  is  the  singular  fact  that  it  was  known  as  la  Malinche, 
but  Morelet  could  not  learn  from  what  connection.3  Quite 
possibly  it  was  from  the  character  of  that  name  in  the  play  of 
Giieguence. 


MALINCHE. 


n  Adagio. 

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0  m 

.gr  i 

In  the  public  bailes  in  ancient  times,  as  we  are  informed  by 
both  Oviedo  and  Benzoni,  the  musicians  were  separated  from 
the  singers  and  other  performers,  forming  an  actual  orchestra, 
and  this  is  also  intimated  in  the  Giiegiience.  Having  thus  the 
position  of  a  class  by  themselves,  it  may  fairly  be  presumed 
that  they  cultivated  with  assiduity  their  peculiar  art. 

In  later  days,  the  cofradias,  the  brotherhoods  and  sister- 

1  The  most  satisfactory  discussion  of  native  music  is  that  by  Theodore 
Baker,  Ueber  die  Musik  der  ATord  Amerikanischen  Wilden  (Leipzig, 
1882).  Mr.  Edwin  A.  Barber  has  also  contributed  some  valuable  articles 
on  the  subject. 

2  The  American  Naturalist,  February,  1883. 

3  Voyage  dans  i ' Ameriqne  Centrale,  Tom.  II,  p.  44. 


MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS. 


xxxix 


hoods  organized  in  connection  with  the  churches,  made  it 
part  of  their  business  to  learn  singing  and  music,  so  as  to 
take  part  in  the  celebration  of  church  festivals.  It  was  through 
these  cofradias  that  the  art  of  playing  on  the  ancient  instru- 
ments was  preserved.  By  the  loss  of  influence  of  the  church 
at  the  separation  of  the  colonies  from  the  mother  country, 
the  cofradias  were  mostly  dissolved.1 

The  music  which  accompanies  the  ballets  in  the  Guegiience 
has  been  written  down,  and  is  familiar  to  many  in  Nicaragua. 
I  have  obtained  a  portion  of  it,  through  the  obliging  efforts 
of  Dr.  Earl  Flint,  of  Rivas,  an  earnest  cultivator  in  the  field 
of  archceological  research.  The  score  appears,  however,  on 
examination  by  competent  persons,  to  be  probably  of  Spanish 
origin,  and  it  would  not  be  worth  while  to  give  more  than  a 
specimen  of  it.    (See  p.  xl.) 

1  So  little  is  understood  about  the  system  of  the  cofradias,  and  the  point 
is  one  of  so  much  importance  in  the  study  of  the  organization  of  Spanish 
ecclesiasticism  in  America,  that  it  is  worth  while  to  explain  it.  They  are 
created  by  the  priest  of  a  parish,  in  such  number  as  he  sees  fit,  and  each 
bears  the  name  of  a  saint  or  religious  occurrence.  Each  should  have,  of 
male  members,  a  major  domo,  a  steward  (prios/e),  and  four  or  more 
appointees  (d/pu/ados).  They  attend  the  priest,  serve  in  the  church,  aid 
in  the  offices  of  religion,  have  a  monthly  mass,  act  as  choristers,  etc.,  at 
fixed  periods.  Of  female  members  there  should  be  the  patroness  {patrona 
or  capilana),  and  the  alguazila  mayor,  each  of  whom  should  have  two 
special  attendants,  and  there  should  be  other  members.  Their  duties  are 
to  sweep  the  church,  deck  it  with  flowers  when  necessary,  and  aid  the  male 
members  in  their  duty.  Each  cofradia  should  have  its  strong  box  and 
financial  resources,  independently,  and  the  major  domo  is  expected  to  keep 
a  book  accounting  for  the  funds.  I  have  in  my  possession  such  a  volume, 
in  the  Chapanec  language,  the  Libro  de  Cuentas  de  la  Cofradia  del  Jiosa- 
rio,  1796. 

From  ten  to  fifty  cofradias  were  formerly  attached  to  one  church,  but  the 
modern  curas  complain  that  they  can  no  longer  be  kept  up.  "  Es  verdad," 
exclaims  the  worthy  presbyter  Navarro,  "  que  los  Sres.  Curas,  mis  ante- 
cessors, y  yo,  hemos  procurado  organizarlas  de  nuevo,  pero  cs  moral- 
mente  impossible." — Memoria  de  la  Parroqttia  de  Villa  Nueva,  p.  18. 
(Guatemala,  1868). 


HISTORY  OF  THE  GUEGUENCE. 


xli 


§4.  History  of  the  "  Baile  del  Guegiience." 

Among  the  scenic  representations  which  have  been  pre- 
served by  the  descendants  of  the  Mangues,  in  the  ancient 
province  of  Masaya,  the  only  one  of  length  which  has  been 
committed  to  writing  is  the  Baile  del  Gueguence,  o  Macho- 
Raton.  Several  copies  of  this  exist  in  manuscript,  and  from  a 
comparison  of  two  of  them  the  late  Dr.  C.  H.  Berendt 
obtained,  in  1874,  the  text  which  is  printed  in  this  volume. 
But  he  did  not  obtain,  nor  did  he  attempt  himself,  any  trans- 
lation of  any  portion  of  it.  He  states,  positively,  that  the 
Nahuatl  parts  are  not  understood  by  the  natives  themselves 
at  the  present  day.  Its  antiquity  and  authorship  are  alike 
unknown.  It  is  certain  that  it  was  acted  before  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century,  but  with  this  single  fact  its  external 
history  ceases. 

Within  the  memory  of  those  now  living,  this  Baile  has 
occasionally  been  acted  in  fulfillment  of  a  religious  vow  pro- 
nounced in  some  emergency  of  life  or  affairs.  The  period 
selected  for  its  performance  is,  usually,  at  the  festival  of  St. 
Jerome,  September  30th.  The  preparations  for  it  are  elabo- 
rate and  expensive.  In  former  times  the  rehearsals  took 
place  daily,  sometimes  for  as  much  as  six  or  eight  months 
before  the  public  performance.  The  actors  provided  their 
own  costumes,  which  required  a  considerable  outlay.  There 
were,  however,  always  plenty  of  applicants,  as  it  was  not  only 
considered  an  honor  to  take  part,  but  also,  the  patron  or 
patroness  of  the  festival,  who  had  pledged  himself  to  give  the 
drama,  was  expected  to  furnish  refreshments,  in  the  way  of 
food  and  drink,  at  each  rehearsal.  As  the  appetites  were 
usually  keen,  and  the  libations  liberal,  it  was  almost  ruinous 
for  one  of  moderate  means  to  undertake  it.  For  that  reason, 
as  Dr.  Earl  Flint  writes  me,  it  has  now  been  dropped,  and 
will  probably  not  again  be  brought  out,  at  least,  in  full. 

How  far  beyond  the  close  of  the  last  century  we  should 


xlii 


INTRODUCTION. 


place  the  composition  of  the  Giiegiience  is  a  difficult  question. 
Dr.  Berendt,  basing  his  opinion  on  what  he  could  learn  by 
local  tradition,  on  the  archaisms  of  the  Spanish  construction, 
and  on  other  internal  evidence,  referred  it  in  general  terms 
to  the  first  periods  {los primeros  siglos)  of  the  Spanish  occupa- 
tion. It  is  probable  that  we  may  assign  the  early  portion  of 
the  eighteenth  century  as  the  latest  date  for  its  composition, 
and  there  is  some  evidence,  which  I  shall  refer  to  in  the  notes 
to  the  text,  that  a  more  remote  period  is  not  improbable. 
Of  course,  it  does  not  contradict  this  that  a  few  modern 
expressions  have  crept  into  the  text.  Nothing  else  could  be 
expected. 

No  hint  as  to  the  author  is  anywhere  found.  There  are, 
however,  reasons  which  I  consider  weighty  ones,  to  believe 
that  it  is  the  production  either  of  a  native  Indian  or  a  half- 
caste.  Several  of  them  are  of  a  negative  character,  and  I 
will  give  these  first. 

All  the  dramas,  so  far  as  I  know,  which  were  introduced  by 
the  Spanish  priests  as  substitutes  for  the  native  bailes,  are 
either  religious  or  instructive  in  aim.  As  the  Germans  say, 
they  are  strongly  tendencids.  Such  are  the  Baile  de  St.  Martin, 
which  gives  scenes  from  the  life  of  the  saint,  and  in  which  a 
wheel,  called  the  horquilla,  covered  with  feathers  and  flowers, 
is  drawn  along ;  the  Baile  de  los  Cinco  Pares  de  Francia,  which 
sets  forth  the  conquest  of  the  infidel  Moors  by  the  Christians, 
both  of  which  plays  have  been  popular  in  Nicaragua;  among 
the  Kekchis,  of  Coban,  the  Baile  de  Morosy  Cristianos,  similar 
to  the  last  mentioned  ;  the  Zaki-Koxol,  o  Baile  de  Cortes,  in 
Kiche,  a  copy  of  which  I  have,  and  the  like.  But  in  the 
Giiegiience  there  is  absolutely  no  moral  purpose  nor  religious 
tone;  so  much,  indeed,  of  the  reverse,  that  we  cannot  conceive 
of  its  introduction  by  a  priest. 

On  the  other  hand,  had  it  been  composed  by  a  secular 
Spanish  writer,  we  should  hardly  fail  to  find  it,  in  a  general 
way,  modeled  after  the  stock  Spanish  comedy.    It  differs, 


HISTORY  OF  THE  GUEGUENCE. 


xliii 


however,  in  several  striking  and  fundamental  features,  from 
the  Spanish  models,  and  these  differences  are  precisely  those 
which  would  flow  from  the  native  habits  of  thought.  I  would 
note,  first,  that  while  females  are  introduced,  they  are  strictly 
mutce  persona,  even  the  heroine  not  speaking  a  word ;  that 
there  are  no  monologues  nor  soliloquies;  that  there  is  no  sepa- 
ration into  scenes,  the  action  being  continuous  throughout ; 
that  there  is  neither  prologue,  epilogue  nor  chorus  ;  and 
especially  that  the  wearisome  repetition  of  the  same  phrases, 
and  by  one  speaker  of  what  a  previous  one  has  said — a  marked 
characteristic  of  the  native  scenic  orations1 — are  all  traits 
which  we  can  scarcely  believe  any  Spaniard  sufficiently  culti- 
vated to  write  at  all,  would  exhibit. 

Furthermore,  the  "  business  "  of  the  play  is  strictly  within 
the  range  of  the  native  thought  and  emotion.  The  admira- 
tion of  the  coarse  cunning  and  impudent  knavery  of  Guegiience 
is  precisely  what  we  see  in  the  modern  camp-fire  tales  of 
Michabo  among  the  Algonkins,  of  Tezcatlipoca  among  the 
Aztecs,  and  of  a  score  of  other  heroes.  It  is  of  a  piece 
with  the  delight  which  our  own  ancestors  derived  from  the 
trickeries  of  Reynard  the  Fox. 

The  devices  for  exciting  laughter  are  scarcely  more  than 
three  in  number  ;  one  the  assumed  deafness  of  the  Giiegiience, 
the  second,  a  consequence  of  this,  that  he  misunderstands,  or 
pretends  to,  the  words  of  the  other  actors,  thus  giving  rise  to 
amusing  quid-pro-quos,  and  third,  the  introduction  of  obscene 
references.  Of  course,  I  am  aware  that  these  are  the  stock 
resources  of  many  European  low  comedians;  but  I  also 
consider  it  a  fact  of  very  considerable  importance  in  deciding 
the  probable  authorship  of  the  play,  that  all  of  these,  espe- 
cially the  first  two,  are  prominently  mentioned  by  old  authors, 

1  See,  for  example,  the  Rabinal-Achi,  ou  le  Drame-Ballet  du  Tun,  in 
Kiche,  published  by  the  Abb6  Brasseur  de  Bourbourg,  and  the  translation 
of  the  song  of  the  Uluas  of  Nicaragua  given  by  Pablo  Levy. — Notas  sobre 
la  Republica  de  Nicaragua,  p.  307  (Paris,  1873). 


xliv 


INTRODUCTION. 


as  leading  devices  of  the  native  Nahuatl  comedies.  Thus, 
Benzoni  and  Coreal  tell  us  that  in  the  bailes  in  Nicaragua, 
which  they  witnessed,  some  of  the  actors  pretended  to  be 
deaf,  and  others  to  be  blind,  so  as  to  excite  laughter  by  their 
mistakes.1  And  Father  Diego  Duran  tells  us  of  a  native 
Mexican  comedy,  upon  which  this  of  Giiegiience  may,  perhaps, 
have  been  founded,  full  of  songs  and  coarse  jests,2  in  which 
the  clown  pretends  to  understand  at  cross  purposes  what  his 
master  orders,  transforming  his  words  into  others  like  them. 
As  to  the  general  leaning  to  indecent  gestures  and  jokes,  it  is 
frequently  commented  on  by  the  missionaries,  and  given  as  a 
reason  for  discountenancing  these  exhibitions. 

The  absence  of  all  reference  to  the  emotions  of  love,  and 
the  naive  coarseness  indicated  in  the  passages  about  women, 
point  rather  to  a  native  than  a  European  hand.  They  are  in 
remarkable  contrast  to  the  Spanish  school  of  comedy.3 
The  neglect  of  common  rules  of  Spanish  construction  seems 
to  arise  from  the  ignorance  of  one  imperfectly  acquainted 
with  the  language,  rather  than  of  deliberate  purpose.  It  must 
also  be  remembered  that  this  piece  was  one  acted  altogether 
by  the  native  Indians,  and  not  by  the  Spanish  population. 

1  "  II  y  en  a  qui  font  les  sourds,  d'autres  les  aveugles.  lis  rient,  ils 
crient,  et  font  en  un  mot  toute  sorte  de  singeries." — Voyages  de  Francois 
Coreal  aux  Indes  Occidentales  depuis  1666  jusqu,en  ibqj.  Tom.  I,  p.  88 
(Amsterdam,  1722).  Borrowed,  probably,  from  Benzoni,  who  says  the  same. 

2  "  Habia  un  baile  y  canto  de  truhanes  en  el  cual  introducian  un  bobo 
que  fingia  entender  al  reves  lo  que  su  amo  le  mandaba,  trastocandole  las 
palabras." — P.  F.  Diego  Duran,  Historia  de  las  Indias  de  la  Nueva 
Espafia,  Tomo  II,  p.  231  (Mexico,  1880). 

3  As  Mr.  George  Ticknor  very  pointedly  says,  in  speaking  of  the  Spanish 
drama : — "  Above  all,  it  was  necessary  that  it  should  be  Spanish ;  and 
therefore,  though  its  subject  be  Greek  or  Roman,  Oriental  or  mythological, 
the  characters  represented  were  always  Castilian,  and  Castilian  after  the 
fashion  of  the  seventeenth  century, — governed  by  Castilian  notions  of 
gallantry,  and  the  Castilian  point  of  honor." — History  of  Spanish  Litera- 
ture, vol  II,  p.  539  (5th  edition). 


DRAMATIS  PERSONS. 


xlv 


Nor  are  we  without  examples  of  persons  of  native  lineage 
preparing  comedies  for  their  fellows.  About  1625,  Bar- 
tholome  de  Alva,  a  descendant  of  the  native  kings  of  Tezcuco, 
wrote  three  comedies,  in  Nahuatl,  drawing  his  plots  from 
Lope  de  Vega.  It  is  quite  as  likely  that  another  Alva  rose 
from  the  Nahuas  of  Nicaragua,  and  prepared  for  their  amuse- 
ment the  production  I  now  present. 

For  these  various  reasons  I  class  it  among  aboriginal  pro- 
ductions. 

§  5.  The  Dramatis  Personcs  of  The  Gueguence. 

The  central  figure  of  the  drama,  and  the  personage  from 
whom  it  derives  its  name,  is 

The  Gueguence.  This  is  a  Nahuatl  word,  from  the  root 
hue,  old  j  huehue  is  "  old  man  ;  "  to  this  is  added  what  gram- 
marians call  the  "  reverencial"  termination  tzin,  denoting 
reverence  or  affection,  and  we  have,  intercalating  the  euphonic 
n,  huehuentzin,  which,  in'  the  vocative,  becomes  huehuentzi. 
It  means,  therefore,  "  the  honored  elder,"  or  "  the  dear  old 
man,"  and  may  be  used,  as  it  is  in  the  play,  either  as  a  proper 
name  or  as  a  common  noun.  In  his  description  of  the  Nahuas 
of  Nicaragua,  Oviedo  gives  the  word  huehue,  and  tells  us  that 
it  was  applied  to  certain  old  men  of  influential  position,  who 
were  elected  by  the  natives  as  rulers  of  the  villages,  and  that 
they  in  turn  selected  the  war-chief,  whose  duty  it  was  to  look 
to  the  defence  of  the  community.  The  name  was,  therefore, 
one  familiar  to  the  Nicaraguans,  though  the  character  would 
seem  to  be  drawn  as  a  burlesque  or  satire. 

He  is,  in  fact,  anything  but  a  respectable  person.  His 
indifference  to  truth,  his  cynical  impudence,  his  licentious 
jokes  about  and  before  his  sons,  and  the  unscrupulous  tricks  of 
which  he  boasts,  are  calculated  to  detract  from  the  element 
of  the  comic  in  his  portraiture,  for  those  who  have  been 
accustomed  to  the  higher  productions  of  humor.  But  it  would 
be  an  error  to  allow  this  sentiment  to  affect  much  our  estimate 


xlvi 


INTRODUCTION. 


of  the  influence  of  the  play.  As  Lessing  very  well  observes, 
the  true  value  of  comedy  is  to  train  us  to  see  the  ridiculous 
and  the  absurd,  wherever  it  is,  in  flagitious  as  well  as  in 
merely  inconsiderate  actions,  as  thus  the  observer  is  prompted 
to  morality  as  well  as  forethought.1 

As  I  have  said,  his  character  is  a  marked  type  of  the  pecu- 
liar form  of  humor  which  the  native  mind  preferred,  and  of 
the  class  of  actions  in  which  it  especially  found  amusement, 
to  wit,  in  that  jocularity  which  is  assumed  to  deceive  and 
get  the  better  of  one's  neighbor.  This  is  strikingly  shown 
by  the  number  of  words  in  the  Nicaraguan  patois  which 
express  such  actions.  Thus,  chamarrear  is  to  take  advantage 
of  some  one  by  a  joke  ;  trisca  is  a  conversation  in  which  some 
one  is  made  ridiculous ;  fefere  is  an  idle  tale  with  which  a 
hearer  is  cajoled ;  dar  un  caritazo  is  to  deceive  a  person  by  a 
trick,  etc.  This  is  the  humor  in  the  Giiegiience.  The  old 
man  nearly  always  has  a  selfish  aim  to  gain  by  his  jokes  and 
his  stories ;  they  are  intended  to  further  his  own  interests, 
and,  at  the  close  of  the  play,  he,  on  the  whole,  comes  out 
victorious  by  these  questionable  measures. 

As  the  drama  was  formerly  represented,  the  Giiegiience  wore 
the  most  magnificent  apparel  of  any  of  the  actors.  Chains 
of  gold,  strings  of  silver  coins,  and  ornaments  of  steel  draped 
his  person.  Indeed,  all  the  participants  vied  with  each  other 
in  extravagant  costumes.  Their  garments  were  fantastically 
adorned  with  feathers  and  flowers,  and  set  off  with  sashes  and 
handkerchiefs  of  brilliant  colors. 

The  two  sons  of  Giiegiience,  Don  Forcico  and  DonAmbrosio, 
are  drawn  in  as  strong  contrast  as  possible.    The  former  fol- 

1  Speaking  of  the  comedy,  he  says: — "  Ihr  wahrer  allgemeiner  Nutzen 
liegt  in  dem  Lachen  selbst,  in  der  Uebung  unserer  Fahigkeit  das  Lacher- 
liche  zu  bemerken ;  es  unter  alien  Bemantelungen  der  Leidenschaft  und 
der  Mode,  es  in  alien  Vermischungen  mit  noch  schlimmern  oder  mit 
guten  Eigenschaften,  sogar  in  den  Runzeln  des  feierlichen  Ernstes,  leicht 
und  geschwind  zu  bemerken." — Hamburgische  Dramaturgic,  29  Stuck. 


DRAMATIS  PERSONS. 


xlvii 


lows  the  paternal  example  faithfully,  and  sustains  his  parent 
in  all  his  tricks  and  lies  ;  the  latter  as  invariably  opposes  and 
exposes  the  old  man's  dishonesty.  The  bitter  words  which 
pass  between  them,  however,  must  not  be  taken  in  dead 
earnest ;  they,  too,  are  only  half  serious,  and  do  not  lead  to 
any  separation  of  interests. 

The  Governor  Tastuanes  appears  on  the  scene  in  Spanish 
costume,  with  a  staff  and  sabre.  His  name,  however,  seems 
to  be  from  the  Nahuatl,  probably  a  corruption  of  tlatoani, 
chief,  lord.2  He  is  little  more  than  a  lay  figure,  designed  to 
draw  forth  the  ruses  of  Giiegiience. 

The  Alguacil,  the  Secretary  and  Registrar  appear  in  what 
is  supposed  to  be  full  official  dress,  with  their  staffs  of  office. 

The  mutce  persona  of  the  drama  are  the  women  and  the 
machos,  or  mules.  Of  the  former,  only  one  is  named,  the 
lady  Suchi-Malinche,  daughter  of  the  Governor.  She  enters 
clothed  in  a  sort  of  tunic,  fastened  to  her  person  with  gay 
silken  sashes;  chains  of  gold  and  costly  jewels  adorn  her 
garments,  and  a  wreath  of  flowers  crowns  her  hair.  The 
latter  may  be  a  reference  to  her  name.  Suchi  is  a  corruption 
of  the  Nahuatl  xochitl,  flower ;  Malinche,  it  may  be  remem- 
bered, was  the  name  of  the  famous  Indian  girl  who  served 
Cortes  as  interpreter  in  his  first  campaign  in  Mexico,  and 
became  his  mistress.  Some  have  supposed  that  it  was  a 
corruption  of  the  Spanish  Christian  name  Marina,  but,  as 
Senor  Icazbalceta  has  conclusively  shown,  it  is  the  name  of 
one  of  the  days  of  the  Aztec  month,  malhialli,  with  the  termi- 
nation tzin,  signifying  affection.  It  was  the  custom  in  Mexico 
and  Central  America,  and  still  is  in  many  parts,  for  the  natives 

3  Tlatoani  means,  literally,  "  the  speaker,"  from  tlaloa,  to  speak,  to  ask, 
but  it  is  translated  by  the  Spanish  lexicographers  "  gran  senor."  The 
chiefs  were  probably  so  called,  from  their  right  of  speech  in  the  assemblies. 
Benzoni  gives  something  like  this  as  the  title  of  the  Nicaraguan  chiefs. 
"  Chiamano  li  Signori  Tutruane,"  which  I  suspect  is  a  misprint  for  Tat- 
truant. — Istoria  del  Mondo  ATuovo,  p.  103  (Venetia,  1565). 


xlviii 


INTRODUCTION. 


to  name  their  children  after  the  day  on  which  they  were  born, 
led  thereto  by  certain  ancient  astrological  notions.1  In 
Nicaragua,  malinche  is  also  the  name  of  a  tree,  a  species  of 
Poinciana,  which  bears  a  handsome  red  flower. 

The  Machos,  or  mules,  are  twelve  or  more  in  number.  They 
give  the  second  title  to  the  piece,  El  Macho  raton,  an  appro- 
priate translation  of  which  I  am  at  a  loss  to  give.  Literally 
it  means  "The  Male  Mouse."  As  used  at  present,  it  signifies 
a  masker,  or  masquerading  dress.  An  acquaintance,  who  has 
lived  in  Nicaragua,  tells  me  that  he  has  heard  the  children 
call  out:  "  See,  there  goes  the  Macho-ralon"  which  would 
prove  to  be  an  Indian  in  a  fantastic  costume.  In  the  play, 
they  wear  heads  of  skins,  imitating  those  of  mules,  surmounted 
with  horns  of  goats,  and  a  petaca,  or  wicker  basket  frame 
draped  with  sashes,  etc.    In  their  hands  they  carry  bells. 

Among  the  ancient  Nahuas,  and  probably  to  this  day,  there 
were  various  curious  superstitions  relating  to  mice.  If  they 
gnawed  a  hole  in  the  dress  of  a  wife,  her  husband  took  it  as  a 
sign  that  she  had  been  unfaithful  to  him;  and  she  entertained 
the  same  suspicion  were  his  garments  attacked.  When  food 
was  attacked  by  mice,  it  indicated  that  the  people  of  the 
house  would  be  falsely  accused  of  something.2 

§  6.  Epitome  of  the  Story  of  The  Giieguence. 

p.  6.       The  Governor  and  the  Alguacil  meet  and  enter 
into  conversation.    The  Governor  directs  that  the 

1  Icazbalceta's  discussion  of  the  name  may  be  found  in  his  notes  to  the 
Did logos  de  Francisco  Cervantes  Salazar,  p.  181  (Mexico,  1875).  Malinalli 
is  the  twelfth  day  of  the  Mexican  month.  According  to  Duran,  the  word 
means  underbrush  [matorral),  and  the  prognostic  was,  that  those  born  on 
that  day  should  have  an  annual  attack  of  sickness,  like  this  underbrush, 
which  dries  up,  or  loses  its  leaves  yearly. — Historia  de  la  Nueva  Espana, 
Tomo  II,  p.  261  (Mexico,  1880). 

2  See  the  rare  work  of  Fray  Joan  Baptista  (often  spelled  Bautista). 
Advertencias para  los  Confessores  de  los  Naturales,  vols.  107,  108  (Mexico, 
en  el  Convento  de  Sanctiago  Tlatilulco,  aiio  1600). 


THE  STORY. 


xlix 


songs  and  dances  which  are  for  the  diversion  of  the 
Royal  Council  should' cease,  and  bewails  its  poverty. 
p.  8.  He  also  directs  that  no  one  shall  be  allowed  to  enter 
his  province  (or  presence?)  without  a  permit  from 
the  patrol.  The  Alguacil  complains  that  their  poverty 
is  so  great  that  they  have  no  fit  clothing,  and  lays  the 
blame  on  Giiegiience.  The  Governor  refers  to 
Giiegiience  in  severe  terms,  and  orders  that  he  be 

10.   brought  before  him,  by  any  means. 

Giieguence,  who  with  his  two  sons  is  within  ear- 
shot, hears  the  Governor's  orders,  and  pretends  to 
think  that  it  refers  to  a  calf  or  a  colt. 

The  Alguacil  announces  himself  as  a  servant  of 
p.  12.   the  Governor.    Giieguence  professes  to  understand 
that  it  is  a  female  servant  who  desires  to  see  him. 
The  Alguacil  corrects  him  in  this,  and  informs  him 
that  he  is  to  fly  to  the  Governor.    Giieguence  takes 

14.  the  word  in  its  literal  sense,  and  chaffs  about  an  old 
man  flying.  The  Alguacil  suggests  to  him  that  he 
had  better  learn  how  to  salute  the  Governor  prop- 

16.  erly  on  entering  his  presence,  and  offers  to1  teach 
him  the  customary  salutation  for  a  consideration. 
This  proposal  Giieguence  accepts,  but  chooses  to 
misunderstand  the  considerations  suggested  by  the 

18.  Alguacil,  and  replies  in  a  series  of  quid-pro-quos 
pp.  20-2 2.  and  gibes.  At  last,  he  produces  some  money,  which, 

24.  however,  he  will  not  pay  over  until  the  Alguacil 
gives  the  promised  instruction.  The  Alguacil  recites 
the  formal  salutations,  which  Giiegiience  pretends  to 

26.  misunderstand,  and  repeats,  instead,  some  phrases 
of  similar  sound,  which  are  discourteous  to  the  Gov- 
ernor. For  this  the  Alguacil  threatens  to  whip  him, 
and  on  Giiegiience  continuing  in  his  taunts,  gives 

28.   him  two  blows,  and  recommences  his  lesson. 

At  this  juncture  the  Governor  appears,  answers 


1 


INTRODUCTION. 


Giiegiience's  salute,  and  asks  him  why  he  has  entered 
the  province  without  a  permit.    At  first  Giiegiience 

p.  30.  answers  by  relating  how  he  had  traveled  without  a 
permit  in  other  provinces.  Finding  this  does  not 
meet  the  case,  he  seeks  to  turn  the  inquiry  by  a 
dubious  story  how  a  girl  once  gave  him  a  permit 
for  something  besides  traveling.  The  Governor, 
not  choosing  to  be  put  off  with  this,  Giiegiience 
proposes  they  shall  be  friends,  and  that  the  Gov- 
ernor shall  have  some  of  the  immense  riches 
and  beautiful  clothing  which  Giiegiience  possesses. 

p.  32.  The  Governor  expresses  some  doubt  as  to  this  wealth, 
and  proposes  to  examine,  apart,  Giiegiience' s  oldest 
son,  Don  Forcico. 

p.  34.  He  does  so ;  and  Don  Forcico  corroborates,  in  the 
most  emphatic  terms,  the  statements  of  his  father  : 
"  the  day  and  the  night  are  too  short  to  name  all 
his  possessions." 
36.  The  Governor  remains,  however,  uncertain  about 
the  truth,  and  requests  a  similar  private  talk  with 
Giiegiience's  younger  son,  Don  Ambrosio.  The 
38.  latter  tells  a  very  different  story,  asserting  that  all 
his  father's  boasts  were  lies,  and  that  he  is,  in  fact,  a 
poor,  old,  thieving  ragamuffin.  Giiegiience,  who 
overhears  him,  rails  at  him  as  a  disgrace  to  the 
family ;  and  Don  Forcico  assures  the  Governor,  in 
very  clear  terms,  that  Don  Ambrosio  has  none  of 
Giiegiience's  blood  in  his  veins. 

p.  40.  To  settle  the  question,  Giiegiience  proposes  to 
show  the  Governor  the  contents  of  his  tent-shop, 
and  has  the  two  boys  bring  it  forward  and  raise  the 
sides.  He  then  offers  the  Governor  several  impos- 
sible things,  as  a  star,  which  is  seen  through  the 
tent,  and  an  old  syringe,  which  he  suggests  might 
be  profitably  applied  to  the  Royal  Council.  As 


THE  STORY. 


li 


the  Governor  replies  roughly,  Geugvience  at  once 
p.  42.    changes  the  subject  to  a  laudation  of  the  remarkable 
skill  of  Don  Forcico  in  many  vocations.    The  Gov- 
ernor is  interested  and  proposes  to  inquire  of  Don 
Forcico  himself  as  to  the  truth  of  this.    The  latter 
repeats  the  boasts,  and  on  the  Governor  inquiring 
as  to  whether  he  knows  some  diverting  dances,  with 
his  father  and  his  brother,  he  dances  a  ballet. 
46.      The  Governor  wishes  to  see  another  ballet,  which 
p.  48.   the  three  perform,  also  ;  and  this  is  followed  by  two 
others,  in  which  the  Governor  and  Alguacil  also 
take  part. 

50.  Following  these  the  Governor  asks  for  the  masque- 
rade of  the  macho-raton,  or  the  mules.  They  are 
led  in  by  Don  Forcico,  and  march  around  the  stage. 
Giiegiience  avails  himself  of  this  auspicious  moment 
to  ask  for  the  hand  of  the  Lady  Suche-Malinche, 
the  Governor's  daughter.  The  Governor  sends  the 
p.  52.  Alguacil  for  the  Chief  Secretary,  who  returns  with 
Suche-Malinche  and  other  young  women.  The  Sec- 
retary describes  what  an  elegant  costume  is  expected 
of  the  son-in-law  of  the  Governor,  and  the  latter 

54.  suggests  that  Giiegiience  has  cast  his  eyes  too  high. 
The  old  man  explains  that  it  was  not  for  himself, 
but  for  Don  Forcico,  that  the  request  was  made, 
and  pretends  to  feel  quite  badly  about  the  marriage. 

56.  He,  nevertheless,  brings  up  the  young  women,  one 
by  one,  who  are  rejected  by  Don  Forcico,  with  very 
uncomplimentary  remarks,  until  Suche  Malinche 
p.  58.  comes  forward,  who  pleases  him,  and  with  whom  he 
is  married.  The  Governor  then  suggests  that  Giie- 
giience treat  the  Council  with  some  Spanish  wine. 
/.  60.  This  the  old  man  does  not  find  it  convenient  to 
understand,  and  when  he  can  no  longer  escape,  and 
p.  62.   and  is  at  a  loss  where  to  obtain  the  liquor,  is 


lii 


INTRODUCTION. 


relieved  by  Don  Forcico,  who  has  secured  it  in  a 
questionable  manner. 

64.  The  mules,  that  is,  the  masqueraders  who  repre- 
sent them,  are  then  brought  up,  and  as  Gueguence 
examines  first  one  and  then  another,  they  give  him 

66.   opportunity  for  a  series  of  extremely  broad  jokes 

68.   and  vulgar  allusions. 

Finally,  the  loads  are  placed  on  the  mules,  the 
boys  mount  them  and  move  off,  while  Gueguence, 
having  offered  his  wine  to  the  Governor,  the  Secre- 
tary, the  Registrar  and  the  Alguacil,  who  each  in 
turn  tell  him  to  be  off,  leaves  the  stage  shouting  to 
his  sons  that  they  will  all  have  a  rouse  that  will 
cost  them  nothing. 


THE  GUEGUENCE. 


A  COMEDY  BALLET 

IN  THE 

NAHUATL-SPANISH  DIALECT  OF  NICARAGUA. 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE 


MACHO-RATON. 


PERSONAS. 

EL  GOBERNADOR  TASTUANES. 

EL  ALGUACIL  MAYOR. 

EL  GUEGUENCE. 

DON  FORCICO. 

DON  AMBROSIO. 

DONA  SUCHI-MALINCHE. 

EL  ESCRIBANO  REAL. 

EL  REGIDOR  DE  CANA. 


6 


THE 


Ballet  of  the  GUeguence; 


THE  MACHO-RATON. 


DRAMATIS  PERSONS. 

THE  GOVERNOR  TASTUANES. 
THE  CHIEF  ALGUACIL. 
THE  GUEGUENCE. 
DON  FORCICO,  HIS  ELDER  SON. 
DON  AMBROSIO,  HIS  YOUNGER  SON 
THE  LADY  SUCHI-MALINCHE. 
THE  ROYAL  SECRETARY. 
THE  REGISTRAR. 


OR, 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Se  da  principio  bailando,  y  habla  el 

A  Ignacil. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Senor  Gobernador  Tastuanes. 
Gobernador. 

Matateco  Dio  miscuales  quilis  nopilse  Capitan  Alguacil 
Mayor  ya  tiguala  neme  ? 

Alguacil. 

Mascamayagua  Sor.  Gobr  Tastuanes. 

Dan  vuelta  bailando  y  habla  el 

Alguacil. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Senor  Gobernador  Tastuanes. 
Gobernador. 

Matateco  Dio  miscuales  quilis  no  pike  Capitan  Alguacil 
Mayor  :  no  pilces  simocague  campamento  Senores  prin- 
cipals, sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos  necana  y  paltechua 
linar  mo  Cabildo  Real.  En  primer  lugar  tecetales  seno 
mesa  de  oro,  seno  carpeta  de  bordado,  seno  tintero 
de  oro,  seno  pluma  de  oro,  seno  salvadera  de  oro,  y  no 
mas  hemo  papel  bianco  y  paltechua  sentar  mo  Cabildo 
Real. 

Dan  vuelta  bailando  y  habla  el 

Alguacil. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Senor  Gobernador  Tastuanes. 
Gobernador. 

Matateco  Dio  miscuales  quilis  no  pilces  Capitan  Alguacil 
Mayor. 

6 


THE  COMEDY-BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


(The  Alguacil  and  Governor  enter,  dancing.) 

Alg.    I  pray  God  to  protect  you,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  I  pray  God  to  prosper  you,  my  son,  Captain 
Chief  Alguacil;  are  you  well? 

Alg.    At  your  service,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

(They  dance  around  the  stage.) 

Alg.    I  pray  God  to  protect  you,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  I  pray  God  to  prosper  you,  my  son,  Captain 
Chief  Alguacil :  my  son,  suspend  in  the  quarters  of  the 
leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs,  ballets,  and  such 
pleasant  matters  of  amusement  to  the  Royal  Court.  It 
is  a  great  shame  that  we  have  no  golden  table,  no  em- 
broidered table-cloth,  no  golden  inkstand,  no  pen  of  gold, 
no  golden  sand-box,  not  even  white  paper,  and  such  like 
suitable  things,  for  a  session  of  the  Royal  Court. 

(They  dance  around  the  stage.) 

Alg.    I  pray  God  to  protect  you,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  I  pray  God  to  prosper  you,  my  son,  Captain 
Chief  Alguacil. 

7 


8 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Alguacil. 

Ya  lichua  linar  mo  Cabildo  Real.  En  primer  lugar 
tecetales  seno  mesa  de  oro,  seno  carpeta  de  bordado,  seno 
tintero  de  oro,  seno  pluma  de  oro,  seno  salvadera  de  oro, 
no  mas  hemo  papel  bianco  y  paltechua  sentar  mo  Cabildo 
Real. 

Gobernador. 

No  pilces  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  simocagiie  campamento  Sres. 
principales  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos  necana  y  palte- 
chua seno  la  ronda  quinquimagua  licencia  galagua  no 
provincia  real. 

Alguacil. 

Mascamayagua  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes.  Matateco  Dio 
mispiales  Srs.  principales  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos 
necana  y  paltechua  seno  la  ronda  del  Sefior  Gobernador 
Tastuanes. 

Aqui  se  toca  la  ronda,  dan  vuelta  bailando  y  habla  el 

Alguacil. 

Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  ya  nemo  niqui  nistipampa,  ya 
nemo  niqui  samo  la  ronda,  son  rastros  y  pedazos  de 
cinchones  rompidos  de  corage,  sombrero  de  Castor  rom- 
pido  de  corage,  no  mas  hemo  mantera  de  revoso,  no  mas 
hemo  capotin  Colorado  a  sones  panegua  sesule  Giie- 
giience,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 

No  pilces  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  asamatimaguas  consentidor, 
afrentador,  ticino  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Alguacil. 

Acaso  no  me  de  consentidor  ticino  mo  Cabildo  Real. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


9 


Alg.  Something  to  amuse  the  Royal  Court.  It  is  a 
great  shame  that  we  have  no  golden  table,  no  embroidered 
table-cloth,  no  golden  inkstand,  no  pen  of  gold,  no  golden 
sand-box,  not  even  white  paper,  and  such  like  suitable 
things,  for  a  session  of  the  Royal  Court. 

Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  in  the 
quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs, 
ballets,  and  such  matters,  unless  the  patrol  gives  a  permit 
to  enter  my  royal  province  [for  that  purpose]. 

Alg.  Yours  to  command,  Governor  Tastuanes.  I  pray 
God  to  protect  you.  The  leading  men  [shall  give  no] 
music,  dances,  songs,  ballets,  and  such  things,  without 
[the  permission  of]  the  patrol  of  Governor  Tastuanes. 

(The  patrol  is  sounded  and  they  dance.) 

Alg.  Governor  Tastuanes,  I  am  here,  as  is  proper,  but 
the  patrol  is  not;  their  girdles  are  in  rags  and  tatters,  and 
their  hats  smashed  in  from  their  frays,  and  we  have  not  a 
single  saddle  cloth  or  red  cloak  better,  perhaps,  than  that 
good-for-nothing  Giiegiience,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  you  must  bring 
that  pimp,  that  impudent  fellow,  that  charlatan,  before  the 
Royal  Court. 

Alg.  Perhaps  that  pimp  and  charlatan  won't  come 
with  me  to  the  Royal  Court. 


10  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

Gobernador. 

No  pilces  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  simocagiie  campamento  Sres. 
principales  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos  necana  y  pal- 
techua  sesule  Gueguence,  6  de  la  cola,  6  de  las  piernas,  6 
de  las  narices,  6  de  onde  Dios  te  ayudare,  Cap"  Alg'  Mor. 
Alguacil. 

Mascamayagua,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  sones,  mudan- 
zas, velancicos  necana. 

Gueguence. 

j  Ha  muchachos,  giiil  ternero,  (6)  guil  potro  para 
quichuas  rebiatar  de  la  cola,  6  de  las  piernas,  6  de  las 
narices  ? 

D.  Ambrosio. 
Asi  lo  mereces,  Gueguence  embustero. 

Gueguence. 
I  Me  hablas,  Don  Forcico  ? 

D.  Forcico. 
No,  tatita,  seran  los  oidos  que  le  chillan. 

Gueguence. 
£  Me  hablas,  Don  Ambrosio  ? 

D.  Ambrosio. 
I  Quien  te  ha  de  hablar,  Gueguence  embustero  ? 

Gueguence. 

Como  no,  mala  casta,  saca  fiestas  sin  vigilias  en  los  dias 
de  trabajos.  Ora  quien  va,  quien  quiere  saber  de  mi 
nombre  ? 

Alguacil. 

Un  criado  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


11 


Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  in  the 
quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs, 
ballets,  and  such  things,  [and  bring]  that  good-for-nothing 
Gueguence,  either  by  the  tail,  or  the  legs,  or  the  nose,  or 
by  whatever  God  will  help  you  [to  bring  him],  Captain 
Chief  Alguacil. 

Alg.  At  your  service,  Governor  Tastuanes,  the  music, 
dances,  songs,  ballets  [will  be  suspended]. 

Gueguence.  Ho,  boys  !  is  it  a  calf  or  is  it  a  colt  that 
is  to  be  tied  behind  by  the  tail,  or  the  legs,  or  the  nose  ? 

Don  Ambrosio.  That's  what  you  deserve,  Gueguence, 
you  old  humbug. 

Gile.    Do  you  speak  to  me,  Don  Forcico  ? 

Don  Forcico.  No,  little  papa,  perhaps  it's  your  ears 
that  are  buzzing. 

Gile.    Do  you  speak  to  me,  Don  Ambrosio  ? 

Don  Am.  Who  would  speak  to  you,  Gueguence,  you 
old  humbug  ? 

Gile.  Why  not,  you  bad  breed,  you  lazy  loafer  on 
working  days  ?  Who  is  it  now  who  wants  to  know  my 
name? 

Alg    A  servant  of  the  Governor  Tastuanes. 


12 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gueguence. 

Como  que  criada,  guil  chocolatera,  6  giiil  lavandera,  6 
componedera  de  la  ropa  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  ? 
Alguacil. 

Chocolatera  6  lavandera  no ;  criado  del  Sor.  Gobor 
Tastuanes. 

Gueguence. 

Pues  que  criada,  guil  cocinera  6  giiil  componedora  del 
plato  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  ? 

Alguacil. 

Asuyungua  me  negua,  no  me  cele  componedora  del 
plato,  Capitan  Alguacil  Mayor  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 
Gueguence. 

Ha!  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes:  O 
amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  asa 
campamento  insigna  vara  ? 

Alguacil. 
Asa  neganeme,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Asetato,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor. 

Alguacil. 

Asetato,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  y  que  dice  el  Sor.  Goberna- 
dor  Tastuanes  ? 

Alguacil. 

Que  vayas  corriendo  y  volando,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Corriendo  y  volando  ?  Como  quiere  que  corra  y  vuela 
un  pobre  viejo,  lleno  de  dolores  y  continuas  calamidades? 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


13 


Gue.  What  sort  of  a  servant-girl  is  it,  the  chocolate 
maker,  the  washwoman,  or  the  clothes  patcher  of  the 
Governor  Tastuanes  ? 

Alg.  Neither  waiter-girl  nor  washwoman ;  a  servant 
of  the  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gue.  Then  which  servant-girl,  cook  or  grub-fixer 
of  the  Governor  Tastuanes  ? 

Alg.  Let  me  disclose  myself ;  I  have  nothing  to  do 
with  the  grub-fixer;  I  am  the  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  of 
the  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gue.  Ha !  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  of  the  Governor 
Tastuanes  !  O  friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  of  the  Gov- 
ernor Tastuanes,  your  official  staff  is  perhaps  at  your 
quarters  ? 

Alg.    Perhaps  I  may  offer  you  one,  Giiegiience. 
Gue.    Take  a  seat,  friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil. 
Alg.    Take  a  seat,  Giiegiience. 

Gue.  Friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  and  what  has 
Governor  Tastuanes  to  say  ? 

Alg.  That  you  go  to  him  a-running  and  a-flying, 
Giiegiience. 

Gue.  A-running  and  a-flying  ?  How  does  he  expect 
a  poor  old  man,  full  of  pains  and  aches,  to  run  and 


14  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

Amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  y  un  silguero  que  esta  en  la 
portada  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  que  es  lo  que  hace  ? 
Alguacil. 

Cantando  y  alegrando  a  los  SefLores  grandes. 
Gueguence. 

Ese  es  mi  consuelo  y  mi  divertimiento.  Amigo  Cap" 
Alg1  Mor  con  que  corriendo  y  volando? 

Alguacil. 
Corriendo  y  volando,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 
j  Ha,  muchachos  !  me  hablan  ? 

D.  Ambrosio. 
Quien  te  ha  de  hablar,  Gueguence  embustero? 

Gueguence. 
I  Me  hablas,  Don  Forcico  ? 

D.  Forcico. 
No,  tatita,  seran  los  oidos  que  le  chillan. 

Gueguence. 

Ese  sera,  muchachos.  Pues  ten  cuenta  con  la  bodega, 
que  voi  a  ver  si  puedo  volar. 

Alguacil. 

Ha,  Gueguence,  con  que  modo  y  con  que  cortecilla  te 
calas,  qui  provincia  real  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  ? 
Gueguence. 
Pues,  y  como,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  ? 

Alguacil. 

Primero  ha  de  ser  un  velancico,  y  paltechua  consolar  el 
Cabildo  Real  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


15 


fly  ?  Friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  and  a  linnet  that 
reaches  the  door  of  Governor  Tastuanes,  what  does  it  do 
there  ? 

Alg.    It  sings  and  amuses  the  grandees  there. 

Gue.  That  is  my  consolation  and  delight.  Friend 
Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  how  about  this  running  and 
flying? 

Alg.    A-running  and  a-flying,  Giiegiience. 

Gue.    Ho,  boys  !  do  you  speak  to  me  ? 

Don.  Am.  Who  wants  to  speak  to  you,  Guegiience, 
old  humbug? 

Gue.    Do  you  speak  to  me,  Don  Forcico  ? 

Don  For.  No,  little  papa,  perhaps  it's  your  ears  that 
are  buzzing. 

Gi'ie.  That  may  be,  boys.  Well,  then,  look  after  the 
shop,  and  I  will  go  and  see  if  I  can  fly. 

Alg.  Ho,  Guegiience !  in  what  style,  and  with  what 
etiquette,  are  you  going  to  enter  the  royal  presence  of  the 
Governor  Tastuanes  ? 

Gue.  Well,  now,  how  should  I,  friend  Captain  Chief 
Alguacil  ? 

Alg.  First,  there  should  be  a  song,  and  such  like,  to 
amuse  the  Royal  Court  of  the  Governor  Tastuanes. 


16 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gueguence. 

Velancico,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  pues  simocagiie 
campamento  Sres  principales  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos 
necana  y  paltechua  consolar  mo  Cabildo  Real  del  Sor. 
Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Alguacil. 

Mascamayagua  Gueguence.  Matateco  Dio  mispiales 
Sres  principales  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos  necana  y 
paltechua  sesule  Gueguence. 

Dan  vuelta  los  dos  bailando  y  habla  el. 

Alguacil. 

Ha,  Gueguence,  ya  estamos  en  el  paraje. 

Gueguence. 
Ya  estamos  con  coraje. 

Alguacil. 

En  el  paraje. 

Gueguence. 

En  el  obraje. 

Alguacil. 

En  el  paraje. 

Gueguence. 

En  el  paraje.     Pues,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  no  me 
ensenara  con  que  modo  y  con  que  cortecilla  he  de  entrar  y 
salir  ante  la  presencia  real  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  ? 
Alguacil. 

Si,  te  ensefiare,  pero  no  de  balde;  primero  ha  de  ser 
mi  salario. 

Gueguence. 

Pescados  salados  ?  Ha,  muchachos !  Ahi  estan  las 
redes  de  pescados  salados  ? 


BALLET  OF  GOEGUENCE. 


17 


Gue.  A  song,  friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil ;  then 
suspend  in  the  quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music, 
dances,  songs,  ballets,  and  such  things,  to  amuse  the 
Royal  Court  of  the  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Alg.  At  your  service,  Giiegiience.  I  pray  God  to 
protect  the  leading  men  [and  they  will  suspend]  the  music, 
dances,  songs,  ballets,  and  such  like,  for  this  good-for- 
nothing  Giiegiience. 

(They  dance  around  the  stage.) 

Alg.    Ha,  Giiegiience  !  here  we  are  at  the  place. 

Gue.    Here  we  are,  with  heart  of  grace. 
Alg.    At  the  place. 
Gue.    To  work  apace. 
Alg.    At  the  place. 

Gue.  At  the  place.  Now,  friend  Captain  Chief  Algu- 
acil, won't  you  teach  me  with  what  style,  and  with  what 
etiquette,  I  ought  to  go  in  and  come  out  of  the  royal 
presence  of  the  Governor  Tastuanes  ? 

Alg.  Yes,  I'll  teach  you ;  but  not  for  nothing.  First, 
I  want  my  salary. 

Gue.    Salted  fish  ?    Ho,  boys  !  are  the  nets  of  salted 

fish  here  ? 
2 


18  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

D.  Forcico. 

Ahi  estan,  tatita. 

D.  Ambrosio. 

Que  redes  de  pescados  salados  has  de  tener,  Giie- 
giience,  embustero? 

Gueguence. 

Como  no  !  mala  casta,  ojos  de  sapo  muerto  !  Amigo 
Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  ya  estamos  desaviados  de  los  pescados 
salados. 

Alguacil. 

Acaso  no  me  cele  de  pescados  salados,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 
Pues,  y  como,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mr  ? 

Alguacil. 
Reales  de  plata,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Ha !  redes  de  platos.  A !  muchachos,  ahi  estan  las 
redes  de  platos  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

Ahi  estan,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Pues,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  ya  estamos  aviados  de 
platos.  Y  como  de  que  platos  quiere  ?  de  la  china,  6  de 
barro  ? 

Alguacil. 

Ayugama,  no  me  cele  de  platos,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 
Pues,  y  como,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor? 

Alguacil. 
Pesos  duros,  Gueguence. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 

Don  For.    Here  they  are,  little  papa. 


19 


Don  Amb.  What  nets  of  salted  fish  do  you  pretend  to 
have,  Guegiience,  you  old  humbug  ? 

Gile.  Why  not,  you  bad  breed,  you  evil-eyed  brat  ? 
Friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  we  are  just  now  out  of 
salted  fish. 

Alg.    Perhaps  I  don't  care  for  salted  fish,  Guegiience. 

Gile.    Well,  what  then,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  ? 

Alg.    Pieces  of  eight,  Guegiience. 

Gile.  Ha !  dishes  and  plates.  Ho,  boys !  have  we 
some  dishes  and  plates  ? 

Don  For.    Here  they  are,  little  papa. 

Gile.  Well,  then,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  we  are  sup- 
plied with  plates.  What  kind  of  plates  do  you  want, 
china  plates  or  earthen  plates  ? 

Alg.  Neither  one  nor  the  other.  I  don't  care  for 
plates,  Giiegiience. 

Gile.    Well,  what  then,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  ? 


Alg.    Hard  pieces,  Guegiience. 


20 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gueguence. 

Ha !  Quesos  duros  de  aquellos  grandotes.    A,  mucha- 
chos, ahi  estan  los  quesos  duros  que  trajimos  de  sobornal? 
D.  Forcico. 

No,  tatita  ;  se  los  comio  mi  hermanito,  Don  Ambrosio. 
D.  Ambrosio. 

Que  quesos  duros  has  de  tener,  Gueguence,  embustero? 
Gueguence. 

Como  no,  mala  casta,  despues  que  te  los  has  comido. 
Amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  ya  estamos  desaviados  de  los 
quesos  duros,  porque  ahi  traigo  un  muchacho  tan  ganzo, 
que  no  me  deja  nada. 

Alguacil. 

Acaso  no  me  cele  de  quesos  duros,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 
Pues,  y  como,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  ? 

Alguacil. 

Doblones  de  oro  y  de  plata,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Ha!  dobles.   A!  muchachos,  sabes  doblar? 
D.  Forcico. 

Si,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Pues  dobla,  muchachos,  Dios  persogue  a  mi  amigo 
Capn  Alg1  Mor,  que  ahora  endenantes  estuvimos  tratando 
y  contratando  con  el,  y  ya  se  lo  Uevo  una  bola  de  fuego 
a  mi  amigo. 

Alguacil. 

Para  tu  cuerpo,  Gueguence.  Acaso  no  me  cele  de 
dobles. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGOENCE. 


21 


Gue.  Ha  !  hard  cheeses  ;  those  big  ones.  Ho,  boys ! 
have  we  those  hard  cheeses  which  we  brought  along  as 
extras  ? 

Don  For.  No,  little  papa,  my  little  brother,  Don  Am- 
brosio,  ate  them  up. 

Don  Am.  What  hard  cheeses  do  you  pretend  to  have, 
Giieguence,  you  old  humbug  ? 

Gue.  Why  not,  you  bad  breed,  since  you  ate  them 
up?  Friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  we  are  just  now 
out  of  hard  cheeses,  because  I  have  a  boy  here  who  is 
such  a  hog  that  he  leaves  me  nothing. 

Alg.  Perhaps  I  don't  care  for  hard  cheeses,  Giiegii- 
ence. 

Gue.    Well,  what  then,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  ? 
Alg.    I  want  toll  of  gold  and  silver,  Giieguence. 
Giie.    Ha !  toll.  Ho,  boys  !  do  you  know  how  to  toll  ? 
Don  For.    Yes,  little  papa. 

Gue.  Well,  then,  toll  away,  boys,  for  God  has  got 
after  my  friend  the  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  with  whom 
we  were  talking  and  bargaining  a  moment  ago,  and  has 
carried  off  my  friend  in  a  ball  of  fire. 

Alg.  May  it  burn  your  body,  Giieguence.  Perhaps  I 
don't  care  for  tolling. 


22  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

Gueguence. 
Pues,  y  como,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  ? 

Alguacil. 

Doblones  de  oro  y  de  plata,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Doblones  de  oro  y  de  plata  !  Pues  hableme  recio,  que 
como  soi  viejo  y  sordo,  no  oigo  lo  que  me  dicen  ;  y  por 
esas  tierras  adentro  no  se  entiende  de  redes  de  platos,  ni 
de  pescados  salados,  ni  de  quesos  duros,  ni  de  dobles,  sino 
onzas  de  oro  y  moneda  de  plata.  Y,  vamos,  i  cuanto 
quiere  ? 

Alguacil. 

Todo  lo  que  hubiere  en  la  bodega,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 
i  Todo,  todo? — i  No  me  dejas  nada? 

Alguacil. 
Nada,  nada,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Ni  batuchito  ? 

Alguacil. 
Ni  batuchito,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Ya  lo  ven,  muchachos,  lo  que  hemos  trabajado  para 
otro  hambriento. 

D.  Forcico. 

Asi  es,  tatita. 

D.  Ambrosio. 
Asi  lo  mereces,  Gueguence,  embustero. 

Gueguence. 
Arra  ya,  mala  casta,  comeras  tus  unas. 


* 

BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE.  23 

Gue. 

Well,  what  then,  friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  ? 

Alg. 

Doubloons  of  gold  and  silver. 

Gue. 

Doubloons  of  gold  and  silver !  Then  speak  loud, 

for  I  am  old  and  deaf ;  and  in  these  inland  places  people 

know 

nothing  of  nets  of  plates,  and  of  salted  fish, 

nor  about  hard  cheeses,  nor  about  tolls,  but  only  about 

ounces 

of  gold  and  coins  of  silver.   Well,  let  us  come  to 

it,  how  much  do  you  want  ? 

Alg. 

Everything  in  the  shop,  Giieguence. 

Gue. 

Everything?  Everything?  You  won't  leave  me 

anything  ? 

Alg. 

Nothing,  nothing,  Giieguence. 

Gue. 

Not  so  much  as  an  empty  box  ? 

Alg. 

Not  even  an  empty  box,  Giieguence. 

Gue. 

Now,  boys,  you  see  how  we  have  worked  to  feed 

another  hungry  fellow. 

Don  For.    So  it  is,  little  papa. 

Don  Am.  So  you  deserve,  Giiegiience,  you  old  hum- 
bug. 

Gue.  Get  out,  you  bad  breed,  you  shall  eat  your  finger 
nails. 


24 


BAILE  DEL  g0EGUENCE. 


D.  Ambrosio. 
Las  comeremos,  Giiegiience. 

Gueguence. 

Pues,  ponga  las  manos :  y  las  dos  manos  pone  el 
hambriento,  y  que  buenas  unas  se  tiene  mi  amigo  Cap" 
Alg1  Mor,  parecen  de  perico-ligero !  a !  una  bomba  caliente 
para  estas  unas  ! 

Alguacil. 
Para  tu  cuerpo,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Pues,  tome !  Uno,  dos,  tres,  cuatro.  Ha !  mi  plata, 
muchachos !  Cuatro  cientos  y  tantos  pesos  le  he  dado  a 
mi  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor — Vd.,  amigo  Capn  Alg1  Mor, 
no  sabe  cual  es  real,  ni  cual  es  medio. 

Alguacil. 

Como  no?  Si,  entiendo  de  todo,  Gueguence. 
Gueguence. 

La  mitad  de  este  medio  hacen  dos  cuartillos ;  un  cuar- 
tillo  dos  octavos,  un  octavo  dos  cuartos,  un  cuarto  dos 
maravedis,  cada  maravedi  dos  blancos. 

Alguacil. 

Pues,  echelos  todos. 

Gueguence. 

Pues,  ensefieme. 

Alguacil. 

Pues,  azetagago. 

Gueguence. 
Pues,  maneta  congon. 

Alguacil. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 


BALLET  OF  GOEGUENCE. 


25 


Don  Am.   Let  us  eat  them,  Giiegiience. 

Gue.  Then  put  out  your  hands,  and  let  this  hungry- 
fellow  put  out  both  his  hands ;  and  my !  what  fine  nails 
has  my  friend,  the  Captain  Chief  Alguacil !  They  are 
like  those  of  a  scratching  monkey !  Ho,  there  !  a  hot 
shot  for  these  nails  ! 

Alg.    May  it  burn  your  body,  Giiegiience. 

Gue.  Well,  here  then  [shows  four  coins'].  One,  two, 
three,  four.  Ha !  my  money,  boys  !  Four  hundred  and 
some  odd  dollars  I  have  given  to  my  friend,  the  Captain 
Chief  Alguacil.  But  you,  friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil, 
you  don't  know  a  real  from  a  half  a  one. 

Alg.  Why  not?  I  understand  all  about  them,  Giie- 
giience. 

Gue.  The  half  of  this  half  real  makes  two  cuartillos  ; 
a  cuartillo  is  two  octavos ;  an  octavo  is  two  quartos ;  a 
quarto  is  two  maravedis ;  and  each  maravedi  is  two 
blancos. 

Alg.    Well,  then,  down  with  them  all. 
Gue.    Well  then,  teach  me. 
Alg.    Well,  then,  pay  attention. 
Gue.    Well,  then,  show  me. 

Alg.    I  pray  God  to  protect  you,  Governor  Tastuanes. 


26  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

Gueguence. 

Matateco  Dio  cuascuane  cuascuane  Tastuanes. 
Alguacil. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gueguence. 
Matateco  Dio  panegiie  palegiie  Tastuanes. 

Alguacil. 

Hace  porfiado,  Gueguence ;  Vd.  ha  menester  una 
docena  de  cueros. 

Gueguence. 

Docena  de  cueros  ?  Ha,  muchachos,  nos  faltan  reatas 
6  cobijones.  Aqui  el  amigo  Capn  Alg1  Mor  nos  ofrece 
una  docena  de  cueros. 

D.  Forcico. 

Si,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Amigo  Capn  Alg1  Mor,  y  como  de  que  cueros,  I  de 
crudia  6  de  gamusa  ? 

Alguacil. 
Mas  azetagago,  Gueguence. 

Le  da  dos  rejazos. 

Gueguence. 

Arra  ya,  con  que  bueno,  despues  de  pagado  me  has 
azotado ;  esos  no  son  cueros,  esos  son  azotes. 

D.  Ambrosio. 
Asi  lo  mereces,  Gueguence,  embustero. 

Alguacil. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  quini- 
mente  motales,  quinimente  moseguan,  Alcaldes  ordina- 
rios  de  la  Sta.  hermandad,  regidores  y  notarios  y  deposi- 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


27 


Gue.    I  pray  God  will  make  you  sing,  Tastuanes. 

Alg.    I  pray  God  to  protect  you,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gue.    I  pray  God  to  overcome  Tastuanes. 

Alg.  You  are  stubborn,  Giieguence,  you  need  a  dozen 
hidings. 

Gue.  Ho,  boys !  do  we  need  some  lines  or  covers  ? 
Our  friend  here,  the  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  offers  us  a 
dozen  hides. 

Don  For.    Yes,  little  papa. 

Gue.  How  about  those  hides,  friend  Captain  Chief 
Alguacil,  are  they  green  or  dressed  ? 

Alg.    Find  out  more  about  them,  Guegiience. 
(Gives  him  two  blows.) 

Gue.  Get  out !  what  right  have  you  to  beat  me  when 
I  have  paid  ?    These  are  not  hides,  they  are  blows. 

Don  Am.  So  you  deserve,  Giieguence,  you  old  hum- 
bug. 

Alg.  I  pray  God  to  protect  the  Governor  Tastuanes, 
those  who  carry  his  messages  and  transact  his  business, 
the  regular  alcaldes  of  the  Holy  Brotherhood,  the  regis- 


28 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


tarios.  Eguan  noche  mo  Cabildo  Real  del  Sor  Gobor 
Tastuanes. 

Gueguence. 

Amigo  Capn  Alg1  Mor,  si  de  balde  le  he  dado  mi  dinero, 
si  estos  son  mis  lenguajes  asonesepa  negualigua  seno 
libro  de  romance,  lichua  rezar  escataci,  iscala  fionguan 
iscumbatasi  a  campaneme  Tastuanes  ? 

Alguacil. 
Asaneganeme,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Si  cana  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor    —    —    —    —  — 
Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 
Gobernador. 

Matateco  Dio  miscuales  quilis  Gueguence  yatiguala 
neme  ? 

Gueguence. 

Ya  nemo  niqui  nistipampa  quinimente  moseguan. 
Alcaldes  ordinarios  de  la  Santa  hermandad,  regidores  y 
notarios  (y)  depositarios(.)  Eguam  noche  mo  Cabildo 
Real  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 

Pues,  Gueguence,  quinquimagua  licencia  te  calas  qui 
provincia  real  ? 

Gueguence. 

Valgame  Dios,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  pues  que  es 
menester  licencia  ? 

Gobernador. 
Es  menester  licencia,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

O  valgame  Dios,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  !    Cuando  yo 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


29 


trars,  notaries  and  archivists,  [by  day]  and  night,  in  the 
Royal  Court  of  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gi'ce.  Friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  I  have  given  my 
money  for  nothing,  if  these  are  to  be  my  words;  and  shall 
I  not  bargain  for  a  book  in  Spanish,  to  read  these  prayers 
out  of  when  I  come  before  Tastuanes  ? 

Alg.    Perhaps  I  may  offer  you  one,  Guegiience. 

Gue.  If  anywhere,  friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil — 
[The  Governor  enters  abruptly]  I  pray  God  to  protect 
you,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  I  pray  God  to  prosper  you,  Guegiience  ;  are  you 
well? 

Gue.  I  am  here,  as  is  proper,  [and  I  pray  God  to  pro- 
tect] those  who  transact  the  business,  the  regular  alcaldes 
of  the  Holy  Brotherhood,  the  registrars,  notaries  and 
archivists,  [by  day]  and  night,  in  the  Royal  Court  of 
Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  Well,  Guegiience,  who  has  given  you  a  permit  to 
enter  this  royal  province. 

Gue.  God  bless  me,  Governor  Tastuanes,  what  is  it  to 
need  a  permit  ? 

Gov.    A  permit  is  necessary. 

Gue    O  !  God  bless  me,  Governor  Tastuanes  ;  when  I 


30 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


anduve  por  esas  tierras  adentro,  por  la  carrera  de  Mexico, 
por  la  Veracruz,  por  la  Vera  Paz,  por  Antepeque,  arriando  . 
mi  recua,  guia  muchachos,  opa  Don  Forcico  llega  donde 
un  mesonero  tupile  traiga  una  docena  de  huevos,  vamos 
comiendo  y  descargando  y  vuelto  a  cargar,  y  me  voy  de 
paso,  y  no  es  menester  licencia  para  ello,  Sor.  Gobor 
Tastuanes. 

Gobemador. 

Pues  aqui  es  menester  licencia  para  ello,  Gueguence. 
Gueguence. 

Valgame  Dios,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  viniendo  yo  por 
una  calle  derecha  me  columbro  una  nina  que  estaba 
sentada  en  una  ventana  de  oro,  y  me  dice  :  que  galan  el 
Gueguence,  que  bizarro  el  Gueguence,  aqui  tienes  bodega, 
Gueguence,  entra,  Gueguence,  sientato,  Gueguence,  aqui 
hay  dulce,  Gueguence,  aqui  hay  limon.  Y  como  soy  un 
hombre  tan  gracejo,  salte  a  la  calle  con  un  cabriole,  que 
con  sus  adornos  no  se  distinguia  de  lo  que  era,  lleno  de 
plata  y  oro  hasta  el  suelo,  y  asi  una  nina  me  dio  licencia, 
Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobemador 

Pues  una  nina  no  puede  dar  licencia,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

O  valgame  Dios,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  no  seremos 
guancos,  no  seremos  amigos,  y  seremos  de  sones  sepane- 
galigua,  no  fardesia  de  ropa;  en  primer  lugar  cajoneria 
de  oro,  cajoneria  de  plata,  ropa  de  Castilla,  ropa  de  con- 
trabando,  giiipil  de  pecho,  giiipil  de  pluma,  medias  de 
seda,  zapatos  de  oro,  sombrero  de  castor,  estriberas  de 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


31 


was  traveling  up  country,  on  the  road  to  Mexico,  through 
.  Vera  Cruz,  and  Vera  Paz,  and  Antepeque,  driving  my 
mules,  leading  my  boys,  twice  Don  Forcico  comes 
across  a  constable  innkeeper  who  brings  us  a  dozen 
eggs ;  and  we  go  on  eating  and  unloading,  and  we  load 
up  again,  and  I  go  right  along,  and  there  is  no  need  of 
a  permit  for  it,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  Well,  here  there  is  need  of  a  permit  for  it,  Gue- 
giience. 

Gi'ie.  God  bless  me,  Governor  Tastuanes,  as  I  was 
coming  up  a  straight  street,  a  girl  who  was  sitting  in  a 
golden  window  descried  me,  and  says  to  me :  "  What  a 
fine  fellow  is  Giiegiience ;  how  gallant  is  Giiegiience ; 
here's  the  shop  for  you,  Giiegiience  ;  come  in,  Giiegiience; 
sit  down,  Giiegiience ;  there's  sweatmeats  here,  Giiegii- 
ence ;  there's  a  lemon  here."  And,  as  I  am  such  a  funny 
fellow,  I  jumped  off,  with  my  riding  cloak  on,  so  full  of 
ornaments  that  you  could  not  tell  what  it  was,  covered 
with  gold  and  silver  to  the  ground ;  and  that's  the  way  a 
girl  gave  me  a  permit,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  Well,  a  girl  can't  give  a  permit  [here],  Giiegii- 
ence. 

Giie.  O  !  God  bless  me,  Governor  Tastuanes,  we  won't 
be  fools ;  no,  we  will  be  friends,  and  we  will  bargain 
about  my  packs  of  goods.  In  the  first  place,  chests  of 
gold,  chests  of  silver,  cloth  of  Spain,  cloth  from  smugglers, 
vests,  feather  skirts,  silk  stockings,  golden  shoes,  beaver 


32 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


lazo  de  oro  y  de  plata,  ya  pachigiie  muyule  Sor.  Gobor 
Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 

Pachiguete  no  pachigiiete,  Giiegiience,  asamatimagas, 
(a  sones)  se  palparesia  motel  polluse  D.  Forcico  y  D. 
Ambrosio  timaguas  y  verdad,  tin  riquezas  y  hermosuras 
tumile  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Giieguence. 

No  chopa  quimate  mollule,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 
No  chiquimate,  Giieguence. 

Giieguence. 

Pues  si  cana  amigo  CapD  Alg1  Mor,  simocagiie  nisti- 
pampa,  Sres.  principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos, 
necana,  y  palparesia  D.  Forcico  timaguas  y  verdad,  tin 
hermosura,  tin  bellezas  tumiles  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Gobernador. 

No  pilse  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  simocagiie  campamento  Sres. 
principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos,  necana  y  palpa- 
resia D.  Forcico  timagas  y  verdad,  tin  hermosura,  tin 
belleza  tumile  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Alguacil. 

Mascamayagua  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes.  Matateco  Dio 
mispiales  Sres.  principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos, 
necana  y  palparesia  D.  Forcico  timaguas  y  verdad. 

Aqui  el  Alguacil  saca  a  D.  Forcico  pa  hablar  con  el  Gobor. 

D.  Forcico. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


33 


hats,  stirrup  straps  of  gold  and  silver  lace,  as  may  satisfy 
the  clever  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  No,  I  am  not  satisfied  with  what  you  say, 
Giieguence.  Don  Forcico  and  Don  Ambrosio  must  give 
a  truthful  account  to  our  Royal  Court,  whether  you  have 
riches  and  abundant  treasures. 

Giie.  Do  you  not  know  it  already,  clever  Governor 
Tastuanes  ? 

Gov.    I  do  not  know  it,  Giieguence. 

Guc.  Then,  if  friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  will  sus- 
pend, in  my  presence,  the  music,  dances,  songs  and 
ballets  of  the  leading  men,  Don  Forcico  will  give  a 
truthful  account  to  the  Royal  Court  about  my  riches  and 
abundant  treasures. 

Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  in  the 
quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs  and 
ballets,  and  Don  Forcico  will  give  a  truthful  account  to 
the  Royal  Court  about  their  riches  and  abundant  treas- 
ures. 

Alg.  At  your  service,  Governor  Tastuanes.  I  pray 
God  to  protect  the  leading  men,  and  [they  suspend]  the 
music,  dances,  songs  and  ballets,  and  Don  Forcico  will 
give  a  truthful  account. 

(The  Alguacil  takes  Don  Forcico  aside  to  talk  with  the  Governor.) 

Don  For.  I  pray  God  to  protect  you,  Governor  Tas- 
tuanes. 

3 


34 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gobernador. 

Matateco  Dio  miscuales  quilis  Don  Forcico  ya  tiguala 
neme. 

D.  Forcico. 

Ya  nemo  niqui  nistipampa,  quinimente  motales,  quini- 
mentes  moseguan,  Alcaldes  ordinarios  de  la  Sta.  herman- 
dad,  regidores,  notarios  y  depositaries.  Eguan  noche  mo 
Cabildo  Real  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 

Pues,  Don  Forcico  asamatimaguas  semo  verdad  a 
sones  sepaguala  motalce  Giieguence  quichua  contar  giiil 
hombre  rico,  tin  riquezas,  tin  hermosura,  tin  belleza,  en 
primer  lugar  cajoneria  de  oro,  cajoneria  de  plata,  doblones 
de  oro,  monedas  de  plata,  hay  me  sagua  Don  Forcico. 
D.  Forcico. 

O  valgame  Dios,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  es  corto  el  dia 
y  la  noche  para  contar  las  riquezas  de  mi  padre;  en 
primer  lugar  cajoneria  de  oro,  cajoneria  de  plata,  ropa  de 
Castilla,  ropa  de  contrabando,  estriberas  de  lazo  de  oro 
y  de  plata,  ya  pachigiie  muyule  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 
Gobernador. 

Pachigiiete  no  pachigiiete  pues,  Don  Forcico,  a  sones 
se  palparesia  tu  hermanito  Don  Ambrosio  timaguas  y 
verdad  tin  riquezas  y  herrnosuras  tumiles  mo  Cabildo  real. 
D.  Forcico. 

Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  sicana  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor, 
mayague  campamento  Sres.  principales,  sones,  mudanzas, 
velancicos,  necana  y  palparesia  mi  hermanito  Don  Am- 
brosio timaguas  y  verdad. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


35 


Gov.  I  pray  God  to  prosper  you,  Don  Forcico ;  are 
you  well  ? 

Don  For.  I  am  here,  as  is  proper,  [and  I  pray  God  to 
protect]  those  who  carry  the  messages,  those  who  transact 
the  business,  the  regular  alcaldes  of  the  Holy  Brother- 
hood, the  registrars,  notaries  and  archivists,  [by  day]  and 
night,  in  the  Royal  Court  of  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  Well,  Don  Forcico,  you  are  to  tell  me  the  truth 
about  the  stories  which  Giiegiience  tells,  saying  that  he 
is  a  rich  man,  and  has  property,  and  handsome  and 
beautiful  things ;  in  the  first  place,  chests  of  gold,  chests 
of  silver,  doubloons  of  gold,  coins  of  silver;  so  tell  me 
clearly,  Don  Forcico. 

Don  For.  O  !  God  bless  me,  Governor  Tastuanes,  the 
day  and  the  night  are  too  short  to  tell  you  all  the  riches 
of  my  father.  In  the  first  place,  chests  of  gold,  chests 
of  silver,  cloth  of  Spain,  cloth  from  smugglers,  stirrup 
straps  of  lace  of  gold  and  silver,  as  may  satisfy  the  clever 
Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  No,  not  satisfied  yet,  Don  Forcico ;  for  next, 
your  little  brother,  Don  Ambrosio,  will  give  a  truthful 
account  to  the  Royal  Court  about  these  riches  and 
abundant  treasures. 

Don  For.  Governor  Tastuanes,  if  friend  Captain  Chief 
Alguacil  will  suspend  in  the  quarters  of  the  leading  men 
the  music,  dances,  songs  and  ballets,  my  little  brother, 
Don  Ambrosio,  will  give  a  truthful  account. 


36 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gobernador. 

No  pilse  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  simocague  campamento  Sres. 
principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos,  necana,  y  palpa- 
resia  su  hermanito  D.  Ambrosio  timaguas  y  verdad  tin 
riquezas,  tin  hermosuras. 

Algnacil. 

Mascamayagua  Sor.  Gob°S  Tastuanes.    Matateco  Dio 
mispiales  Sres.  principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos, 
necana,  y  palparesia  Don  Ambrosio  timaguas  y  verdad. 
Aqui  el  Algl  saca  a  D.  Ambrosio  pa  hablar  con  el  Gob°r. 

D.  Ambrosio. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Sor.  Gobernador  Tastuanes. 
Gobernador. 

Matateco  Dio  miscuales,  quilis  Don  Ambrosio,  ya 
tiguala  neme  ? 

D.  Ambrosio. 

Ya  nemo  niqui  nistipampa  quinimente  motales,  quini- 
mente  moseguan  Alcaldes  ordinarios  de  la  Sta.  herman- 
dad,  regidores  y  notarios,  y  depositarios.  Eguan  noche 
mo  Cabildo  Real  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 

Pues  Don  Ambrosio  asamatimaguas  semo  verdad  a 
sones  (se)  paguala  motalce  Guegiience  quichua  contar 
giiil  hombre  rico.  En  primer  lugar  cajoneria  de  oro, 
cajoneria  de  plata,  ropa  de  Castilla,  ropa  de  contrabando, 
giiipil  de  pecho,  giiipil  de  pluma,  medias  de  seda,  zapatos 
de  oro,  sombrero  de  castor,  estriberas  de  lazo  de  oro  y 
de  plata,  muchintes  hermosuras  quichua  contar  sesule 
Giieguence  hoy  melague  Don  Ambrosio. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


37 


Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  in  the 
quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs  and 
ballets,  and  his  little  brother,  Don  Ambrosio,  will  give  a 
truthful  account  of  the  riches  and  treasures. 

Alg.  At  your  service,  Governor  Tastuanes.  I  pray 
God  to  protect  the  leading  men,  [and  they  suspend]  the 
music,  dances,  songs  and  ballets,  and  Don  Ambrosio  will 
give  a  truthful  account. 

(The  Alguacil  takes  Don  Ambrosio  aside  to  talk  to  the  Governor.) 

Don  Am.  I  pray  God  to  protect  you,  Governor  Tas- 
tuanes. 

Gov.  I  pray  God  to  prosper  you,  Don  Ambrosio ;  are 
you  well  ? 

Don  Am.  I  am  here,  as  is  proper,  [and  I  pray  God  to 
protect]  those  who  carry  the  messages,  those  who  transact 
the  business,  the  regular  alcaldes  of  the  Holy  Brother- 
hood, the  registrars,  notaries  and  archivists,  [by  day]  and 
by  night,  in  the  Royal  Court  of  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  Well,  Don  Ambrosio,  you  are  to  tell  me  the 
truth  about  the  stories  which  Guegiience  relates,  saying 
that  he  is  a  rich  man.  In  the  first  place,  [that  he  has] 
chests  of  gold,  chests  of  silver,  cloth  of  Spain,  cloth  from 
smugglers,  vests,  skirts  of  feathers,  silk  stockings,  golden 
shoes,  a  beaver  hat,  stirrup  straps  of  lace  of  gold  and 
silver,  quantities  of  pretty  things,  as  that  good-for-nothing 
Giiegiience  relates ;  so  tell  me  clearly,  Don  Ambrosio. 


38 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


D.  Anibrosio. 

Valgame  Dios,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  verguenza  me  da 
contar  las  cosas  de  ese  Giieguence  embustero,  pues  solo 
esta  esperando  que  cierre  la  noche  para  salir  de  casa  en 
casa  a  hurtar  lo  que  hay  en  las  cocinas  para  pasar  el,  y  su 
hijo  Don  Forcico.  Dice  que  tiene  cajoneria  de  oro,  y  es 
una  petaca  vieja  totolatera,  que  tiene  catre  de  seda  y  es 
un  petate  viejo  revolcado,  dice  que  tiene  medias  de  seda  y 
son  unas  botias  viejas  sin  forro,  que  tiene  zapatos  de  oro, 
y  son  unas  chancletas  viejas  sin  suelas,  que  tiene  un  fusil 
de  oro,  y  es  solo  el  palo,  porque  el  canon  se  lo  quitaron. 
Giieguence. 

Ve,  que  afrenta  de  muchacho,  hablador,  boca  floja ! 
revientale,  hijo,  la  cabeza,  que  como  no  es  hijo  mio  me 
desacredita. 

D.  Forcico. 

Quitate  de  aqui,  mala  casta !  No  se  espante  Sor.  Gobor 
Tastuanes  en  oir  a  este  hablador,  que  cuando  yo  anduve 
con  mi  padre  por  la  carrera  de  Mexico  y  cuando  venimos 
ya  estaba  mi  madre  en  cinta  de  otro,  y  por  eso  salio  tan 
mala  casta,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Giieguence. 

Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  ya  pachigue  muyules  teguane 
motel  poyuce  Don  Forcico  contar  tin  hermosuras,  tin 
bellezas,  tumiles  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Gobernador. 

Pachigiiete  no  pachigiiete,  Giieguence,  asamaquimate 
mollule  mo  Cabildo  real. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


39 


Don  Am.  God  bless  me,  Governor  Tastuanes,  I  am 
ashamed  to  talk  about  the  affairs  of  this  old  humbug, 
Guegiience,  "for  he  is  only  waiting  until  it  is  dark,  to  go 
from  house  to  house,  stealing  whatever  is  in  the  kitchens, 
to  keep  him  and  his  son,  Don  Forcico,  alive.  He  says 
he  has  a  chest  of  gold,  and  it  is  an  old  bird-basket;  that 
he  has  a  silken  cot,  and  it  is  a  dirty  old  mat ;  he  says  he 
has  silk  stockings,  and  they  are  old  leggings,  without 
lining ;  that  he  has  golden  shoes,  and  they  are  worn  out 
slippers,  without  soles ;  that  he  has  a  golden  gun,  and  it 
is  only  a  wooden  stock,  because  they  took  the  barrel 
away  from  him. 

G'iie.  Heavens !  what  an  impudent  boy,  a  babbler,  a 
lying  tongue !  Break  his  head,  my  boy,  for  no  son  of 
mine  would  slander  me  in  that  way. 

Don  For.  Get  out  of  here,  you  bad  breed.  Don't  be 
shocked,  Governor,  to  hear  this  babbler ;  for  when  I  went 
with  my  father  on  the  road  to  Mexico,  when  we  came 
back  my  mother  was  big  by  another,  and  that  is  why 
this  one  is  such  a  bad  breed,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gue.  Governor  Tastuanes,  now  are  you  not  satisfied 
completely  about  us,  by  what  Don  Forcico  told  the 
Royal  Court,  that  I  have  quantities  of  pretty  and  beauti- 
ful things  ? 

Gov.  No,  not  satisfied ;  the  Royal  Court  would  like 
to  know  it. 


40 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gueguence. 

No  chiquimate  mollule  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes : -piies 
mayagiie  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  campamento  Srs.  princi- 
pales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos,  necana  y  palparesia 
mo  tinderia  tuma  guiso  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Gobernador. 

No  pilse  Cap"  Alg'  Mor,  simocagiie  campamento  Sres. 
principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos,  necana,  y  palte- 
chua  consolar  sesule  GiiegiienceQ  Eguan  mo  tinderia  y 
paltechua  consolar  mo  cabildo  real. 

Alguacil. 

Mascamayagua,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes.  Matateco  Dio 
mispiales  Sres.  principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos, 
necana  y  palparesia  tinderia  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Da  vuelta  el  Giiegiience  y  los  muchachos  bailando  con  la  tienda,  y 
habla  el 

Gueguence. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  asanega 
neme  mo  tinderia  matamagueso  mo  Cabildo  Real.  Alzen 
muchachos,  miren  cuanta  hermosura.  En  primer  lugar 
cajoneria  de  oro,  cajoneria  de  plata,  giiipil  de  pecho,  giiipil 
de  pluma,  medias  de  seda,  zapatos  de  oro,  sombrero  de 
castor,  estriberas  de  lazo  de  oro  y  de  plata,  muchintes 
hermosuras,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  asaneganeme  ese  lucero 
de  la  manana  que  relumbra  del  otro  lado  del  mar,  asane- 
caneme  esa  jeringuita  de  oro  para  ya  remediar  el  Cabildo 
Real  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 

Para  tu  cuerpo,  Gueguence. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


41 


Giie.  The  clever  Governor  Tastuanes  does  not  know 
it.  Well,  then,  let  friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  suspend 
in  the  quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances, 
songs,  ballets  and  talk,  and  I  will  open  my  tent  to  the 
Royal  Court. 

Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  in  the 
quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs, 
ballets  and  such  like,  to  please  this  good-for-nothing 
Gueguence,  and  he  will  show  his  tent,  to  please  the  Royal 
Court. 

Alg.  At  your  service,  Governor  Tastuanes.  I  pray 
God  to  protect  the  leading  men,  [and  they  suspend]  the 
music,  dances,  songs,  ballets  and  talk,  [to  show]  the  tent 
to  the  Royal  Court. 

(Guegiience  and  the  boys  dance  around  the  stage  with  the  tent.) 

Giie.  I  pray  God  to  protect  you,  Governor  Tastuanes. 
Let  me  offer  you  my  tent,  to  show  to  the  Royal  Court. 
Heft  it,  boys.  See  what  pretty  things !  In  the  first 
place,  a  chest  of  gold,  a  chest  of  silver,  vests,  feather 
skirts,  silk  stockings,  golden  shoes,  a  beaver  hat,  stirrup 
straps  of  lace  of  gold  and  silver,  quantities  of  pretty 
things,  Governor  Tastuanes.  Let  me  offer  you  this  star 
of  the  morning,  which  shines  from  the  other  side  of  the 
sea ;  let  me  offer  you  this  syringe  of  gold,  with  which  to 
medicate  the  Royal  Court  of  the  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.    May  it  be  for  your  own  body,  Gueguence. 


42 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gueguence. 

Como  este  mi  muchacho  tiene  tantos  oficios,  que  hasta 
en  las  unas  tiene  encajados  los  oficios. 

Gobernador. 
Seran  de  arena,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Pues  mas  ha  sido  escultor,  fundidor,  repicador,  piloto 
de  alturas  de  aquellos  que  se  elevan  hasta  las  nubes,  Sor. 
Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 
Esos  no  son  oficios  de  continuo,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Pues  mas  ha  sido  carpintero,  hacedor  de  yugos  aunque 
sean  de  papayo,  hacedor  de  arados,  aunque  sean  de 
tecomajoche  ya  pachigue  muyule  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 
Gobcr?iador. 

Ya  pachigiiete  no  pachigiiete,  pues  Gueguence  asanese 
palparesia  mo  Don  Forcico  timaguas  y  verdad  tin  oficios. 

Gueguence. 

Pues  si  cana  amigo  Capn  Alg1  Mor.  Mayague  nisti- 
pampa  Sres.  principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos, 
necana  y  palparesia  Don  Forcico  timaguas  y  verdad  tin 
oficios. 

Alguacil. 

Mascamayagua,  Gueguence.  Matateco  Dio  mispiales 
Sres.  principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos,  necana  y 
palparesia  D.  Forcico  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Vuelve  el  Alguacil  a  sacar  a  D.  Forcico. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


43 


Gue.  It  is  wonderful  how  many  trades  this  boy  of 
mine  has.    He  is  deep  in  trades  to  his  fingers'  ends. 

Gov.    They  are  of  no  account,  Guegiience. 

Gue.  Why,  he  has  been  a  sculptor,  a  metal  founder, 
a  bell-ringer,  and  a  pilot  to  the  heights  which  rise  above 
the  clouds,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  These  are  not  permanent  employments,  Guegii- 
ence. 

Gue.  Then  he  has  been  a  carpenter,  a  maker  of  yokes, 
though  of  papaya  wood,  a  maker  of  plows,  though  of 
temple  tree  wood.  This  should  satisfy  the  clever  Governor 
Tastuanes. 

Gov.  No,  I  am  not  yet  satisfied.  Let  Guegiience  tell 
his  son,  Don  Forcico,  to  give  a  truthful  account  of  his 
trades. 

Gue.  Then,  if  friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  will,  in 
my  presence,  cause  the  leading  men  to  suspend  the  music, 
dances,  songs  and  ballets,  Don  Forcico  will  give  a  truth- 
ful account  of  his  trades. 

Alg.  At  your  service,  Guegiience.  I  pray  God  will 
protect  the  leading  men,  [and  they  suspend]  the  music, 
dances,  songs  and  ballets,  for  the  talk  of  Don  Forcico  to 
the  Royal  Court. 

(The  Alguacil  brings  Don  Forcico  forward.) 


44 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


D.  Forcico. 

Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  hasta  en  las  unas  tengo  encajados 
los  oficios. 

Gobernador. 
Seran  de  arena,  Don  Forcico. 

D.  Forcico. 

Pues  mas  he  sido  escultor,  fundidor,  repicador,  piloto 
de  alturas  de  aquellas  que  se  elevan  hasta  las  nubes,  Sor. 
Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 

Pachigiiete  no  pachigiiete,  pues  Don  Forcico  asamagui- 
mate  mollule  tin  mudanzas,  tin  sapatetas  mo  Cabildo 
Real. 

D.  Forcico. 

O  valgame  Dios,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  sicana  amigo 
Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  campamento  Sres.  principales,  sones, 
mudanzas,  velancicos,  necana  tin  corridos  y  palechua 
consolar  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Gobernador. 

No  pilse  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  simocague  campamento  Sres. 
principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos,  necana  y  palpa- 
resia  lichua  consolar  sesule  Gueguence. 

Alguacil. 

Mascamayagua  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes.  Matateco  Dio 
mispiales  Sres.  principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  velancicos, 
necana  y  palparesia  consolar  mo  Cabildo  Real  sesule 
Gueguence. 

Primera  bailada  del  Corrido,  y  habla  el 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


45 


Don  For.  Governor  Tastuanes,  I  am  deep  in  trades  to 
my  finger  ends. 

Gov.    They  are  of  no  account,  Don  Forcico. 

Don  For.  Why,  I  have  been  a  sculptor,  a  metal 
founder,  a  bell-ringer,  and  a  pilot  to  the  heights  which 
rise  above  the  clouds,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  No,  I  am  not  satisfied,  since  Don  Forcico  should 
also  know  some  clever  dances  and  caperings,  [to  amuse] 
the  Royal  Court. 

Don  For.  O !  God  bless  me,  Governor  Tastuanes,  if 
friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil  [will  suspend]  in  the  quar- 
ters of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs  and 
ballets,  they  shall  have  some  running  dances  and  such 
things,  to  amuse  the  Royal  Court. 

Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  in  the 
quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs, 
ballets  and  talk,  in  order  that  this  good-for-nothing  Giie- 
giience  may  amuse  [the  Royal  Court]. 

Alg.  At  your  service,  Governor  Tastuanes.  I  pray 
God  to  protect  the  leading  men,  [and  they  suspend]  the 
music,  dances,  songs,  ballets  and  talk,  in  order  that  the 
good-for-nothing  Guegiience  may  amuse  the  Royal  Court. 

(First  ballet  with  the  running  dance.) 


46 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gueguence. 

Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  ya  pachigue  mollule  tiguita  tin 
mudanzas,  tin  sapatetas,  lichua  consolar  mo  Cabildo  Real. 
Gobernador. 

Pachiguete  no  pachiguete,  Gueguence,  asamaquimate 
muyule,  asanese  palparesia  motel  poyuse  Don  Forcico  y 
Don  Ambrosio  a  consolar  el  Cabildo  Real. 

Gueguence. 

No  chopa  quimate  muyule,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

.  Gobernador. 
No  chopa  quimate  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Mayague  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  campamento  Sres. 
principales,  sones,  corridos,  necana  y  paltechua  consolar 
Don  Forcico  eguan  D.  Ambrosio  mo  Cabildo  Real. 
Gobernador. 

No  pilse  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  simocagiie  campamento  Sres. 
principales,  sones,  corridos,  necana  y  paltechua  consolar 
Don  Forcico  eguan  Don  Ambrosio  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Segunda  bailada  del  Gueguence,  y  los  dos  muchachos. 

Gueguence. 

Sor  Gobor  Tastuanes,  ya  pachigue  mollule  tigiiita  tin 
mudanzas,  tin  sapatetas  lichua  consolar  mo  Cabildo  Real. 
Gobernador. 
Pachiguete  no  pachiguete,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  asamaquimate  mollule  tin  mu- 
danzas, tin  sapatetas  sones  San  Martin,  a  lichua  consolar 
Don  Forcico  eguan  Don  Ambrosio  mo  Cabildo  Real. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


47 


Gue.  Governor  Tastuanes,  now  you  are  satisfied  that 
they  have  dances  and  caperings  to  amuse  the  Royal 
Court. 

Gov.  No,  I  am  not  satisfied.  I  would  know  thor- 
oughly what  Don  Forcico  and  Don  Ambrosio  can  do  to 
amuse  the  Royal  Court. 

Gue.    Do  you  not  know  it,  Governor  Tastuanes  ? 

Gov.    I  do  not  know  it,  Giieguence. 

Gue.  Let  friend  Captain  Alguacil  Major  [suspend]  in 
the  quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs 
and  such  like,  that  Don  Forcico  and  Don  Ambrosio  may 
amuse  the  Royal  Court. 

Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  in  the 
quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  dances,  songs  and 
such  like,  that  Don  Forcico  and  Don  Ambrosio  may 
amuse  the  Royal  Court. 

(Second  ballet  of  Giieguence  and  the  two  boys.) 

Gile.  Governor  Tastuanes,  now  you  are  certainly 
satisfied  that  they  have  dances,  have  caperings,  to  amuse 
the  Royal  Court. 

Gov.    No,  I  am  not  satisfied,  Giieguence. 

Gue.  Governor  Tastuanes  may  certainly  know  that 
Don  Forcico  and  Don  Ambrosio  have  dances  and  caper- 
ings, to  the  tune  of  St.  Martin,  to  amuse  the  Royal 
Court. 


48 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gobemador. 

No  chopa  quimate  mollule  Giiegiience.  Nopilse  Cap" 
Alg1  Mor  simocagiie  campamento  Sres.  principales,  sones 
San  Martin  a  lichua  consolar  mo  Cabildo  Real  sesule 
Giiegiience. 

Aqui  se  toca  S.  Martin  y  dan  vuelta  todos  bailando. 

Gobemador. 

A  Giiegiience  ya  pachigiie  muyule  tigiiita  tin  sapa- 
tetas  lichuas  consolar  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Giiegiience. 

Pachigiiete  no  pachigiie,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  asama- 
quimate  muyule  sones  Portorico  no  amigo  Cap"  Alg1 
Mor  a  lichua  consolar  Don  Forcico,  y  Don  Ambrosio  mo 
Cabildo  Real. 

Gobemador. 

No  pilse  Cap"  Alg1  Mor,  simocagiie  campamento  Sres. 
principales,  sones  Portorico  lichua  consolar  sesule  Giie- 
giience. 

Aqui  se  toca  un  ton  antiguo  y  dan  vuelta  todos  bailando. 

Gobemador. 

A  Giiegiience  ya  pachigiie  muyule  tigiiita  tin  sapatetas 
lichua  consolar  mo  Cabildo  Real. 

Giiegiience. 

Pachigiiete  no  pachigiie,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  que 
unos  van  para  atras,  y  otros  para  delante. 

Gobemador. 

Eso  no  lo  se,  Giiegiience.  Pues,  Giiegiience,  asama- 
quimate  muyule,  tin  mudanzas,  tin  sapatetas  semula 
macho-raton  a  lichua  consolar  mo  Cabildo  Real. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


49 


Gov.  I  do  not  certainly  know  it.  My  son,  Captain 
Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  in  the  quarters  of  the  leading 
men  [the  music,  etc.],  that  this  good-for-nothing  Giiegii- 
ence  may  amuse  the  Royal  Court  with  the  tune  of  St. 
Martin. 

(The  tune  of  St.  Martin  is  played,  and  they  all  dance  around.) 

Gov.  Now,  Giiegiience,  I  am  satisfied  that  they  have 
caperings  to  amuse  the  Royal  Court. 

Gi'ie.  But  I  am  not  satisfied;  and,  Governor  Tastuanes, 
my  friend,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  might  like  to  know 
how  Don  Forcico  and  Don  Ambrosio  can  amuse  the 
Royal  Court,  to  the  tune  of  Porto  Rico. 

Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  in  the 
quarters  of  the  leading  men  [the  music,  etc.],  that  this 
good-for-nothing  Giiegiience  may  console  [us]  with  the 
tune  of  Porto  Rico. 

(An  ancient  tune  is  played,  and  they  all  dance  around.) 

Gov.  Now,  Giiegiience,  I  am  satisfied  that  they  have 
caperings  to  amuse  the  Royal  Court. 

Guc.  But  I  am  not  satisfied,  Governor  Tastuanes,  as 
some  go  from  behind  and  others  from  in  front. 

Gov.    I  know  nothing  about  that,  Giieguence.  Now, 
Giiegiience,  whether  they  have  dances,  caperings,  like  the 
macho-raton,  to  amuse  the  Royal  Court  ? 
4 


50 


BAILE  DEL  GUEdUENCE. 


Gueguence. 

Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  ya  bueno  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor, 
campamento  Sres.  principales,  sones,  mudanzas,  necana, 
a  lichua  consolar  semula  macho-raton  mo  Cabildo  Real. 
A,  muchachos  !  que  es  de  los  machos  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

Ahi  estan,  tatita. 

Aqui  se  toca  la  Valona  para  los  machos,  y  habla  el 

Gueguence. 

Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  ya  pachigue  mollule.tin  mudan- 
zas, tin  sapatetas,  tin  remates,  tin  corcobios  semula  macho- 
raton. 

Gobernador. 
Pachigiiete  no  pachigue,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Pues  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  no  haremos  un  trato  y 
contrato,  que  el  sin  tuno,  sin  tunal  de  eguan  mo  Dona 
Suche-Malinche  ? 

Gobernador. 
No  chopa  quimate  muyule,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 
No  chiquimate,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Gobernador. 

No  pilse  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  simocagiie  campamento  el 
Senor  Escribano  Real,  chiguigua  no  provincia  real  lichua 
obedecer  eguan  mo  Dona  Suche-Malinche. 

Va  el  Alguacil  a  hablar  con  el  Escribano  Real. 

Alguacil. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Sr.  Escribano  Real. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


51 


Gue.  Governor  Tastuanes,  and  good  friend  Captain 
Chief  Alguacil,  [suspend]  in  the  quarters  of  the  leading 
men  the  music,  dances  and  songs,  in  order  that  we  may- 
amuse  the  Royal  Court  with  the  macho-raton.  Ho,  boys! 
how  about  the  mules  ? 

Don  For.    Here  they  are,  little  papa. 

(The  Valona  is  played  for  the  mules.) 

Gi'ie.  Governor  Tastuanes,  you  are  certainly  satisfied 
that  they  have  dances,  caperings,  finishing  touches  and 
curvetings,  like  the  macho-raton. 

Gov.    No,  I  am  not  satisfied,  Guegiience. 

Gue.  Well,  then,  Governor  Tastuanes,  shall  we  not 
make  a  trade  and  a  treaty  between  him,  without  a  folly 
or  a  fig-tree,  and  the  lady  Suche-Malinche  ? 

Gov.    Do  you  not  know  of  it  already,  Guegiience  ? 

Gue.    I  do  not  know  it,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  suspend  [the 
labor]  in  the  quarters  of  the  Royal  Secretary,  and  let 
him  obey  our  order  to  enter  my  royal  presence,  with  the 
lady  Suche-Malinche. 

(The  Alguacil  goes  to  speak  with  the  Royal  Secretary.) 


Alg.    I  pray  God  to  protect  you  Mr.  Secretary. 


52  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

Escribano. 

Matateco  Dio  miscuales,  quilis  Cap"  Alg"  Mor,  ya 
tiguala  neme  ? 

Alguacil. 

Ya  nemo  niqui  nistipampa  Sor.  Escribano  Real,  negua 
ligua  y  Provincia  Real,  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  lichua 
obedecer  eguan  mo  Dona  Suche-Malinche. 

Escribano. 

Pues,  no  pilse  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  simocagiie  campamento 
Sres.  principales,  sones,  rujeros,  y  paltechua  obedecer 
eguan  mo  Dona  Suche-Malinche. 

Alguacil. 

Mascamayagua,  Sor.  Escribano  Real. 

Aqui  se  toca  el  Rujero,  dan  vuelta  bailando  los  dos  y  habla  el 

Escribano. 

Matateco  Dio  mispiales,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 
Gobernador. 

Matateco  Dio  miscuales  quilis  Sor.  Escribano  Real,  ya 
tiguala  neme? 

Escribano. 

Ya  nemo  niqui  nistipampa  lichua  obedecer,  eguan  mo 
Dona  Suche-Malinche. 

Gobernador. 

Pues,  Sor.  Escribano  Real,  asanegaguala  sesule 
Giieguence  guil  hombre  rico,  eguan  mo  Dona  Suche- 
Malinche. 

Escribano. 

Sor  Gobor  Tastuanes,  asanegualigua  vestir  saya  de  la 
China,  giiipil  de  pecho,  guipil  de  pluma,  medias  de  seda, 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


53 


Sec.  I  pray  God  to  prosper  you,  Captain  Chief  Algua- 
cil ;  are  you  well  ? 

Alg.  I  am,  as  is  proper,  Mr.  Secretary.  You  will 
enter  the  royal  presence  of  Governor  Tastuanes,  to  obey 
his  orders,  and  also  the  lady  Suche-Malinche. 

Sec.  Well,  then,  my  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  sus- 
pend in  the  quarters  of  the  leading  men  the  music,  the 
shoutings,  and  such  like,  that  I  may  obey,  with  the  lady 
Suche-Malinche. 

Alg.    At  your  service,  Mr.  Secretary. 

(The  Rujero  is  played,  and  the  two  dance  around.) 

Sec.    I  pray  God  to  protect  you,  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Gov.  I  pray  God  to  prosper  you,  Mr.  Secretary ;  are 
you  well  ? 

Sec.  I  am,  as  is  proper,  [and  come]  to  obey  your 
orders,  with  the  lady  Suche-Malinche. 

Gov.  Well,  Mr.  Secretary,  there  is  a  bargain  between 
this  good-for-nothing  Giieguence,  who  is  a  rich  man,  and 
the  lady  Suche-Malinche. 

Sec.  Governor  Tastuanes,  let  the  bargain  be  for  cloth- 
ing, a  petticoat  from  China,  vest,  feather  skirt,  silk  stock- 


54  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

zapatos  de  oro,  sombrero  de  castor,  para  monistilco  al 
Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Se  vuelve  el  Escribano  a  su  lugar,  bailando  con  el  Alguacil. 

Gobernador. 

Ha,  Gueguence,  asiguala  lichua  escojer  mosamonte. 
Gueguence. 

I  Desmonte  ? 

Gobernador. 
Mosamonte,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Yo  no  he  hecho  trato  ni  contrato  con  el  Sor.  Gobor 
Tastuanes,  solo  que  sea  mi  muchacho. 

Gobernador. 
Eso  no  lo  se,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Ha,  muchachos,  que  trato  y  contrato  tienes  con  el  Sor. 
Gobor  Tastuanes. 

D.  Forcico. 

De  casarme,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

De  casarte !  i  y  tan  chiquito  te  atreves  a  casarte, 
muchacho? 

D.  Forcico. 

Si,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 
Y  con  quien  me  dejas,  muchacho  ? 

D.  Forcico. 
Con  mi  hermanito,  Don  Ambrosio. 

Gueguence. 
Que  caso  me  hara  ese  jipato! 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE.  55 

ings,  shoes  of  gold,  a  beaver  hat,  for  a  son-in-law  of 
Governor  Tastuanes. 

(The  Secretary  returns  to  his  place,  dancing  with  the  Alguacil.) 

Gov.  Ha,  Giiegiience  !  it  angers  me  that  you  choose 
so  presumptuously. 

Gue    Trumpery  ? 

Gov.    Presumptuously,  Giiegiience. 

Gue.  I  have  not  made  any  trade  or  treaty  with  the 
Governor  Tastuanes  ;  it  must  be  my  boy. 

Gov.    I  don't  know  about  that,  Giiegiience. 

Gue.  Ho,  boys !  what  trade  or  treaty  have  you  with 
the  Governor  Tastuanes  ? 

Don  For.    For  me  to  get  married,  little  papa. 

Gi'ie.  For  you  to  get  married !  What,  boy !  a  little 
chap  like  you  dares  to  get  married  ? 

Don  For.    Yes,  little  papa. 

Gue.  And  with  whom  are  you  going  to  leave  me 
boy? 

Don  For.    With  my  little  brother,  Don  Ambrosio. 


Gue.    What  care  will  that  imp  take  of  me  ? 


56 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


D.  Ambrosio. 
Y  yo  tambien  me  quiero  casar. 

Gueguence. 

Para  eso  seres  bueno.  Don  Forcico  asiguale  lichua 
escojer  mosamonte.  Ve,  que  bizarra  dama  aqui,  mucha- 
cho. 

D.  Forcico. 
No  esta  de  mi  gusto,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Porque,  muchacho? 

D.  Forcico. 
Porque  esta  muy  pachaca,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Pues,  que  es  iguana  6  garrobo  para  que  este  pachaca? 
Quien  la  echo  a  perder,  muchacho  ? 

D.  Forcico. 
Mi  hermanito,  Don  Ambrosio. 

Gueguence. 

Para  eso  sera  bueno  este  soplado,  ojos  de  sapo  muerto, 
por  eso  esta  tan  apupujado.  Ve,  que  bizarra  maneca, 
muchacho. 

D.  Forcico. 
Si  esta  aventada,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 
Quien  la  avento,  muchacho  ? 

D.  Forcico. 
Mi  hermanito,  Don  Ambrosio. 

Gueguence. 

Como  aventastes  esta  dama,  Don  Ambrosio? 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


57 


Don  Am.    And  I  too  want  to  get  married. 

Gile.  You're  good  enough  for  that.  Don  Forcico 
makes  a  bargain  to  choose  presumptuously.  See  what  a 
gay  lady  is  here,  my  boy  ? 

Don  For.    She  is  not  to  my  taste,  little  papa. 
Gue.    Why  not,  my  boy  ? 

Don  For.    Because  she  is  too  much  stuffed,  little  papa. 

Gue.  Is  she,  then,  an  iguana  or  a  garrobo,  that  she  is 
stuffed  ?    Who  has  spoiled  her,  my  boy  ? 

Don  For.    My  little  brother,  Don  Ambrosio. 

Gue.  For  that  the  bloated  fellow  is  good  enough,  the 
evil-eyed  brat ;  that  is  the  reason  he  is  so  played  out. 
See,  here's  a  gay  cake-baker  my  boy. 

Don  For.    She  is  puffed  up,  little  papa. 

Gile.    Who  puffed  her  up,  boy  ? 

Don  For.    My  little  brother,  Don  Ambrosio. 

Gi'ic.    How  did  you  puff  up  this  lady,  Don  Ambrosio  ? 


58 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


D.  Ambrosio. 
De  dormir  con  vos,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Callate,  mala  casta.  Ve  que  bizarra  dama,  esta  otra, 
muchacho. 

D.  Forcico. 

Esta,  si,  esta  de  mi  gusto,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Sabes  escojer,  no  muchacho,  pero  no  sabes  escojer  un 
buen  machete  para  hacer  un  buen  desmonte. 

D.  Forcico. 

Tambien,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes,  mosegua  trato  y  contrato. 

Gobernador. 
No  mocegua,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

No  mocegua,  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  ;  lo  que  siento  es  mi 
muchacho  que  se  me  pierde. 

Gobernador. 
Eso  no  lo  se,  Gueguence. 

Aqui  se  casan,  y  habla  el 

Gobernador. 

No  pilse  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  chigiiigua  mo  Provincia  Real, 
campamento  sesule  Gueguence  lichua  obedecer  con  una 
yunta  de  botijas  de  vino  de  Castilla  para  en  chocola  y 
paltechua  brindar  mo  Cabildo  Real. 
•  Rcgidor. 

Simocague,  Sor.  Alg1  Mor . —  Mayagvie,  amigo  sesule 
Gueguence.    En  nombre  mo  Cabildo  Real  te  damos  los 


Don  Am. 
ence. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGOeNCE.  59 

It  came  from  sleeping  with  you,  Guegii- 


Giie.  Shut  up,  you  bad  breed.  See,  my  boy,  what  a 
gay  lady  this  other  one  is. 

Don  For.    This  one?  Yes,  she  suits  me,  little  papa. 

Gue.  You  know  how  to  choose,  my  boy ;  but  you 
don't  know  how  to  choose  a  good  axe  to  make  a  good 
clearing. 

Don  For.    That  also,  little  papa. 

Gue.  Governor  Tastuanes,  let  us  make  a  trade  and  a 
treaty. 

Gov.    I  will  make  it,  Guegiience. 

Giie.  I  will  make  it,  Governor  Tastuanes.  What  I  feel 
is  the  loss  of  my  boy. 

Gov.    I  don't  know  about  that,  Giicgiience. 

(The  marriage  takes  place.) 

Gov.  My  son,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  let  it  be  known 
in  the  quarters  of  my  Royal  Province  that  this  good-for- 
nothing  Guegiience  is  going  to  treat  the  Royal  Court  to 
a  yoke  of  jars  of  Spanish  wine. 

Reg.  Suspend  [business],  Mr.  Chief  Alguacil,  and 
attend,  friend  good-for-nothing  Guegiience.  In  the  name 
of  the  Royal  Court,  we  give  the  congratulations,  and  also 


60 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


parabienes  de  eguan  mo    Dona   Suche-Malinche,  de 
inmenso  que  goce  con  Don  Forcico,  tu  hijo,  Giiegiience. 
Alguacil. 

Ha,  Giiegiience,  asanegualigua  y  Provincia  Real  del 
Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes  y  paltechua  obedecer  con  unayunta 
de  botijas  de  vino  de  Castilla  en  chocola  y  paltechua 
brindar  mo  Cabildo  Real  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 
Giieguence. 

Ha,  muchachos,  ya  lo  ven,  aviados  estamos.  Bueno 
es,  ser  casado,  pero  ahora  se  nos  ofrece  un  gran  trabajo. 
Ya  viene  el  provincial  y  no  tenemos  provision.  Amigo 
Cap"  Alg1  Mor ,  a  onde  dejo  al  provincial,  en  Managua 
6  en  Nindiri  ? 

Alguacil. 

Acaso  no  me  cele  de  provincial,  Giiegiience;  unayunta 
de  botijas  de  vino. 

Giieguence. 

Ya  lo  ven,  muchachos,  una  yunta  de  bueyes,  y  ha  de 
ser  con  carreta. 

Alguacil. 

Acaso  no  me  cele  de  bueyes  6  de  carreta,  Giiegiience. 
Una  yunta  de  botijas  de  vino  de  Castilla  para  en  chocola 
brindar  su  Cabildo  Real  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes. 

Giieguence. 

Ya  lo  ves,  muchacho,  en  que  empeho  me  metes,  con  ser 
casado.  Ya  ves  la  providencia  que  pide  el  Sor.  Gobor 
Tastuanes,  una  yunta  de  botijas  de  vino  de  Castilla  para 
en  chocola  del  Sor.  Gobor  Tastuanes ;  te  atreves  a  buscarla 
6  a  sacarla,  muchacho  ? 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


61 


to  the  lady  Suche  Malinche,  that  she  may  enjoy  herself 
hugely  with  Don  Forcico,  your  son,  Giiegiience. 

Alg.  Ha,  Giiegiience !  it  is  known  in  the  Royal  Pro- 
vince of  the  Governor  Tastuanes  that  you  are  to  obey 
him,  and  treat  the  Royal  Court  of  the  Governor  Tastuanes 
to  a  yoke  of  jars  of  Spanish  wine. 

Gue.  Ho,  boys  !  you  see  we  are  already  provided  for. 
It  is  a  fine  thing  to  be  married,  but  now  we  have  a  big 
job  on  hand.  The  Provincial  is  coming,  and  we  have  not 
prepared  for  him.  Friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  where 
did  you  leave  the  Provincial,  in  Managua  or  in  Nindiri  ? 

Alg.  Perhaps  I  don't  care  about  the  Provincial ;  a 
yoke  of  wine-jars. 

Gue.  Now  you  see,  boys,  a  yoke  of  oxen,  and,  no 
doubt,  the  cart  as  well. 

Alg.  Perhaps  I  don't  care  about  carts  or  oxen,  Giie- 
giience ;  a  yoke  of  jars  of  Spanish  wine  for  a  lunch,  to 
treat  the  Royal  Court  of  Governor  Tastuanes. 

Giie.  Now,  boy,  you  see  in  what  a  bother  you  put  me 
by  getting  married.  Now  you  see  the  contribution 
which  the  Governor  asks,  a  yoke  of  jars  of  Spanish  wine 
for  the  Governor's  lunch.  Are  you  equal  to  hunting  for 
it,  or  to  getting  it,  boy  ? 


62  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

D.  Forcico. 
No  tengo  de  onde,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Para  escojer  mosamonte  si  eres  bueno.  Te  atreves  a 
buscar  una  yunta  de  botijas  de  vino  de  Castilla,  Don 
Ambrosio? 

D.  Ambrosio. 
No  tengo  de  onde,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Que  cosa  buena  has  de  hacer,  mala  casta  !  Con  que, 
I  no  te  atreves,  muchacho  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

No,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Pues  a  ganar  6  a  perder  voy  a  buscar  la  yunta  de 
botijas  de  vino. 

D.  Forcico. 

No  vaya,  tatita,  ya  me  avie  de  la  yunta  de  botijas  de 
vino. 

Gueguence. 

A  onde  te  aviastes,  muchacho  ? 

D.  Forcico. 
En  casa  de  un  amigo. 

Gueguence. 
Quien  te  enseno  hacer  amigo  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

Usted,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Calla,  muchacho,  que  dira  la  gente  que  yo  te  enseno  a 
hacer  amigo  ? 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


63 


Don  For.    I  don't  know  whence,  little  papa. 

Gue.  You  are  bold  enough  to  choose  [a  wife]  pre- 
sumptuously. Are  you  bold  enough  to  hunt  up  a  yoke 
of  jars  of  Spanish  wine,  Don  Ambrosio? 

Don  Am.    I  don't  know  where,  Giiegiience. 

Giie.  What  are  you  good  for,  you  bad  breed  ?  Well, 
don't  you  dare  to,  boy? 

Don  For.    No,  little  papa. 

Gue.  Well,  then,  be  it  to  win  or  lose,  I  shall  go  in 
search  of  the  wine  myself. 

Don  For.  Don't  go,  little  papa,  I  have  already  provided 
the  wine. 

Gile.    Where  did  you  get  it,  boy  ? 

Don  For.    In  the  house  of  a  friend. 

Gue.    Who  taught  you  to  make  a  friend  ? 

Don  For.    You,  little  papa. 

Gile.  Shut  up,  boy.  What  will  the  folks  say  [if  they 
hear]  that  I  taught  you  to  make  a  friend  ? 


64 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


D.  Ambrosio. 

Y  pues  no  es  verdad  que  ensenas  a  malas  mafias  a  tu 
hijo  ? 

Gueguence. 

Arra  ya,  mala  casta!  malas  mafias  como  las tienes vos. 
Amigo  Cap"  Aig;  Mor,  ya  estamos  aviados  de  la  yunta 
de  botijas  de  vino,  no  habra  un  macho  de  la  cofradia  6 
de  la  comunidad  ? 

Algnacil. 

Vean,  que  fama  de  hombre  de  bien  ! 

Gueguence. 

Soy  hombre  de  bien.  Traigo  mis  machos,  pero  estan 
algo  raspados  desde  su  cruz  hasta  su  rabo  a  lichuas  dili- 
gencia,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor.  Ha,  muchachos,  que  es 
de  los  machos  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

Ahi,  estan,  tatita. 

Aqui  dan  una  vuelta  bailando  y  cojen  los  machos. 

D.  Forcico. 
Ya  estan  cojidos  los  machos,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 
Encojidos?   Sera  de  frio. 

D.  Forcico. 
Los  machos  ya  estan  cojidos. 

Gueguence. 
Cojudos  ?    Pues  no  eran  capones. 

D.  Forcico. 
Cojidos  los  machos,  tatita. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


65 


Don  Am.  And  is  it  not  true  that  you  teach  your  son 
evil  ways  ? 

Gi'ie.  Get  out,  you  bad  breed ;  you  are  the  one  with 
evil  ways.  Friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  we  have  now 
provided  the  wine.  Have  you  not  a  mule  of  the  brother- 
hood, or  of  the  village  ? 

Alg.    See,  what  a  reputation  for  an  honest  man ! 

Gue.  I  am  an  honest  man.  I  have  my  own  mules, 
but  they  are  a  little  raw,  from  withers  to  crupper,  in  con- 
sequence of  my  energy,  Captain  Chief  Alguacil.  Ha, 
boys  !  what  about  the  mules  ? 

Don  For.    Here  they  are,  little  papa. 

(They  dance  around  the  stage  and  lead  in  a  number  of  masks,  dressed 
as  mules.) 

Don  For.    The  mules  are  now  driven  up,  little  papa. 

Gue.    Shriveled  up  ?   That  must  be  from  cold. 

Don  For.    I  say  the  mules  are  driven  up. 

Gue.   Livin'  studs  ?   Then  they  were  not  altered. 

Don  For.    The  mules  are  driven  up. 
5 


36  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

Gueguence. 

Cojidos  los  machos?  Pues  hableme  recio!  A  onde 
estan  los  machos  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

Aqui  estan,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 
Que  macho  es  este  puntero,  muchacho  > 

D.  Forcico. 
El  macho  viejo,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Y  este  otro  macho  ? 

D.  Forcico. 
El  macho  guajaqueno. 

Gueguence. 

Y  este  otro  macho  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

El  macho  mohino. 

Gueguence. 

Y  este  otro  macho  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

El  macho  moto. 

Gueguence. 
i  Ya  aparejaron,  muchachos  ? 

D.  Forcico. 
No,  tatita,  aparejeselos  Vd. 

Gueguence. 
Todo  lo  ha  de  hacer  el  viejo. 

D.  Forcico. 

Si,  es  mejor,  tatita. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE.  67 

Gue.  Driven  up,  are  they  ?  Speak  out  loud  to  me. 
Where  are  the  mules  ? 

Don  For.    Here  they  are,  little  papa. 

Gue.    Which  mule  is  this  thin  one,  boy  ? 

Don  For.    The  old  mule,  little  papa. 

Gue.    And  this  other  mule  ? 

Don  For.    That  is  the  dried-up  one. 

Gue.    And  this  other? 

Don  For.    That  is  the  quarrelsome  mule. 

Gue.    And  this  other  one  ? 

Don  For.    The  rowdy  mule. 

Gue.    Are  they  harnessed,  boys  ? 

Don  For.    No,  little  papa ;  harness  them  yourself. 

Gue.    The  old  man  has  to  do  everything. 

Don  For.    Yes,  it's  better,  little  papa. 


68  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

Gueguence. 

Ya  esta  sana  la  cinchera  de  este  macho,  muchacho  ? 
D.  Forcico. 

Ya  esta,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Y  este  otro  macho  I  ya  esta  sana  la  rifionada  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

Ya  esta,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Que  sana  ha  de  estar,  muchacho,  si  asi  tanta  estaca  tiene 
por  delante  ?     A  onde  se  estaco  este  macho,  muchacho  ? 
D.  Forcico. 

En  el  potrero,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Eso  merece  por  ralirse  del  potrero  a  otro  potrero.  Y 
la  vaticola  de  este  macho,  ya  esta  sana,  muchacho  ? 
D.  Forcico. 

Ya  esta,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Que  sana  ha  de  estar,  muchacho,  si  le  ha  bajado  la 
flucion  por  de  bajo  de  las  piernas  y  la  tiene  muy  hinchada  ? 
Revientalo,  muchacho. 

D.  Forcico. 
Revientelo  Vd,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Ahi  se  reventara  solo,  muchacho,  que  falta  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

Alzar  el  fardo,  tatita. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


69 


Gue.    Is  the  girth-gall  of  this  mule  well  yet,  boy? 
Don  For.    It  is,  little  papa. 

Gue.    And  this  other  mule,  is  its  backband-gall  well 
yet  ? 

Don  For.    It  is,  little  papa. 

Gi'ie.    How  can  it  be  well  if  it  has  such  a  stick  in  front 
of  it?    Where  did  this  mule  run  such  a  stick  in  itself,  . 
boy? 

Don  For.    In  the  colt  yard,  little  papa. 

Gue.  That  is  what  it  deserved  for  running  from  one 
pasture  to  another.  And  the  crupper-gall  of  this  other 
mule,  is  it  now  well,  boy? 

Don  For.    It  is,  little  papa. 

Giie.  How  can  it  be  well,  boy,  if  the  inflammation 
has  passed  down  beneath  the  legs,  and  there's  a  great 
swelling  there  ?    Burst  it  open,  boy. 

Don  For.    Burst  it  open  yourself,  little  papa. 
Giie.    It  will  burst  of  itself,  boy.    What's  wanting 
now  ? 

Don  For.    Heave  up  the  pack,  little  papa. 


70 


BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 


Gueguence. 

I  Calentar  el  jarro  ? 

D.  Forcico. 

Alzar  el  fardo. 

Gueguence. 
Ha!  el  fardo!    A  onde  esta  el  fardo? 

D.  Forcico. 

Aqui  esta  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

A  mi  tiempo,  cuando  fui  muchacho,  el  tiempo  del  hilo 
azul,  cuando  me  vei  en  aquellos  campos  de  los  Diriomos 
alzando  aquellos  fardos  de  guayabas, — no  muchachos  ? 
Alguacil. 
Date  priesa,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Me  llevas  preso  ?    Porque,  amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  ? 
Alguacil. 

Que  te  des  priesa! 

Gueguence. 

Dejeme  acordar  de  mi  tiempo,  que  con  eso  me  con- 
suelo.  Ha!  muchachos,  para  onde  vamos,  para  atras  6 
para  delante? 

D.  Forcico. 

Para  delante,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 
Pues,  a  la  guia,  muchachos. 

Aqui  se  montan  los  muchachos  en  los  machos. 

Gueguence. 

Muchachos,  i  no  habra  un  peinador  para  brindar  ei 
Cabildo  Real  del  Sor  Gobor  Tastuane  ? 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE. 


71 


Gue.    Heat  up  the  flask  ? 

Don  For.    Heave  up  the  pack. 

Gite.    O  !  the  pack.    Where  is  the  pack  ? 

Don  For.    Here  it  is,  little  papa. 

Gue.  In  my  time,  when  I  was  a  boy,  in  the  time  of 
the  blue  thread,  when  I  was  in  those  plains  of  the  Dirio- 
mos,  lifting  those  packs  of  guayabas — isn't  it  so,  boys  ? 

Alg.    Hurry  up,  Guegiience. 

Gue.  You  take  me  up  ?  What  for,  friend  Captain 
Chief  Alguacil? 

Alg.    I  mean  hurry  up. 

Gue.  Let  me  recall  old  times,  that  I  may  console 
myself  with  that.  Say,  boys,  do  we  go  in  front  or 
behind  ? 

Don  For.    In  front,  little  papa. 
Gue.    Then  go  ahead,  boys. 

(The  boys  mount  the  mules.) 

Gue.  Boys,  isn't  there  a  cheeky  fellow  to  toast  the 
Royal  Court  of  the  Governor  Tastuanes  ? 


72  BAILE  DEL  GUEGUENCE. 

D.  Forcico. 

Si,  hay,  tatita. 

Gueguence. 

Senor  Gobor  Tastuanes,  asaneganeme  Castilla  en 
chocola  de  vino. 

Gobernador. 

S'guale,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Sor.  Escribano  Real,  asaneganeme  Castilla  en  chocola 
de  vino. 

Escribano. 

Siguale,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Sor.  Regidor  Real,  asaneganeme  Castilla  en  chocola 
de  vino. 

Regidor. 

Siguale,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 

Amigo  Cap"  Alg1  Mor  asaneganeme  Castilla  en  chocola 
de  vino. 

Alguacil. 

Siguale,  Gueguence. 

Gueguence. 
Pues  nosotros,  a  la  gorra,  muchachos! 


FIN. 


BALLET  OF  GUEGUENCE.  73 

Don  For.    Yes,  there  is,  little  papa. 

Gi'ie.  Governor  Tastuanes,  let  me  offer  you  some 
Spanish  wine,  as  a  treat. 

Gov.    Follow  him,  Giiegiience. 

Gue.  Mr.  Secretary,  let  me  offer  you  some  Spanish 
wine,  as  a  treat. 

Sec.    Follow  him,  Giiegiience. 

Gi'ie.  Mr.  Registrar,  let  me  offer  you  some  Spanish 
wine,  as  a  treat. 

Reg.    Follow  him,  Giiegiience. 

Giic.  Friend  Captain  Chief  Alguacil,  let  me  offer  you 
some  Spanish  wine,  as  a  treat. 

Alg.    Follow  him,  Giiegiience. 

Gi'ie.  Then,  for  us,  boys ;  we'll  get  it  for  nothing,  and 
drink  it  ourselves. 


END. 


NOTES. 


Page  4.  The  Dramatis  Persona?.  These  have  been  dis- 
cussed in  the  Introduction,  page  xlv.  I  may  add  that  the 
"  Regidor  de  Cana  "  may  be  for  "  RegidorDecano."  Other- 
wise I  do  not  see  a  meaning  to  it.  The  term  "  Alguacil  " 
might  be  translated  "  constable,"  or  <;  bailiff." 

Page  6.  The  salutations  exchanged  between  the  Alguacil 
and  Governor  are  repeated  frequently  between  the  characters. 
In  the  first,  the  words  would  seem  to  be  the  Nahuatl  mata- 
taca,  to  beg,  to  pray,  and  miecpialia,  to  watch  over,  to  pro- 
tect ;  in  the  reply,  for  the  latter  is  substituted  miequilia,  to 
prosper,  followed  by  qua///,  good,  or  well.  The  terminal  s, 
in  ?nispia/es,  miscuales,  is  probably  a  remnant  of  the  Spanish 
os,  you.  No  p//se  is  the  vocative  nopi/tze,  my  dear  son,  com- 
pounded of  the  inseparable  possessive  pronoun  of  the  first 
person,  no,  and  tepil/zin,  an  affectionate  or  reverential  form, 
from  the  root  pilli.  The  expression  need  not  be  taken  as 
literally  meaning  relationship,  as  the  Nahuasused  the  formula 
nopi/fzintz/ne  in  addressing  all  persons  of  position.  "  Ma  moy- 
o/ica/zin,  Nopiltzintz/ne ,  seas  bien  venido,  6  ilustre  Senor." 
Carochi,  Gram.  Mex.,  p.  20. 

Ya  tiguala  neme,  I  take  to  be  ye  tiqual/i  tinemi,  in  which  ye 
is  a  particle  of  contraposition,  and  both  the  adjective-adverb 
qua///,  and  the  verb  nemi,  to  live,  to  be,  are  preceded  by  the 
second  personal  pronoun  ft.  The  compound  mascamayagua 
appears  to  be  from  maxca,  yours,  literally,  your  thing  (mo, 
your,  axca,  thing),  and  the  optative  particle  mayecuele, 
equivalent  to  the  Spanish  ojald;  hence  the  meaning  is 
"  yours  to  command,"  or  "at  your  service." 

In  his  next  words  the  Governor  uses  a  phrase  which  is 
repeated  by  various  speakers  with  a  "damnable  iteration" 
throughout  the  comedy.  Simocague  would,  in  pure  Nahuatl, 
be  ximocauoliia,  the  imperative  second  person  singular,  of  the 
compulsive  form  of  mocaua,  to  cease,  to  stop,  or  to  suspend 
something.  The  noun  mocacaua  is  the  word  for  the  pauses 
or  intervals  in  music.  The  reason  for  the  frequent  repetition 
of  the  request,  I  suppose  to  be  that  in  the  ancrent  exhibitions 
of  the  drama  numerous  assistants  joined  in  dancing,  singing 

75 


I 


76  NOTES. 

and  playing  on  musical  instruments ;  and  when  a  specified 
ballet  was  to  be  performed,  or  an  important  conversation  to 
be  repeated,  they  were  courteously  addressed,  and  requested 
to  be  silent  for  a  time.  Dr.  Valentine  tells  me  that  in 
Guatemala  the  term  gente  principal  is  commonly  used  to  des- 
ignate the  most  prominent  inhabitants  of  a  pueblo. 

Necana  y  paliechua,  Nahuatl  words,  united  by  the  Spanish 
conjunction.  The  former  is  Nah.  nequaniliztli,  dancing 
motions;  the  latter,  elsewhere  written  palechitaa.nd  pa/eguisa, 
is  a  corruption  of  paleuqui,  suitable,  or  appropriate  things. 
Hemo,  a  form  of  Sp.  hemos,  is  an  antiquated  expression  for 
tenemos. 

The  word  mo  in  the  expression  mo  Cabildo  Real  may  be 
the  Spanish  mio,  my ;  or  the  Nah.  mo,  thy,  thine.  The 
Cabildo  was  originally  the  chapter  of  a  religious  house,  and 
later  a  council,  but  at  present  it  is  applied  in  Central  America 
to  the  municipal  courts,  and  the  house  in  which  they  sit. 

Page  8.  In  the  second  reply  of  the  Alguacil  on  this  page 
there  are  evidently  several  words  omitted  which  I  have  sup- 
plied in  brackets  in  the  translation.  The  same  has  occurred 
elsewhere,  and  it  was  to  be  expected,  as  nearly  all  the  Nahuatl 
expressions  have  become  unintelligible  to  the  native  popula- 
tion of  the  present  generation.  As  most  of  these  formulas 
are  repeated  several  times,  we  can  approximate  to  what  the 
full  expression  should  be. 

Yd  nemo  niqui  nistipampa,  is  a  frequent  reply  in  the  play  to 
a  formal  salutation  of  a  superior.  I  have  translated  it  as 
some  corruption  of  the  Nahuatl  words,  ye  nemonequi 
nixtlipampa,  literally,  "my  presence  is  proper,"  /.  e. ,  "I  am 
present  before  you,  as  is  my  duty."  The  Alguacil,  as  having 
charge  of  the  patrol,  hastens  to  speak  of  its  wretched 
uniform.  The  adjective  sesule,  constantly  applied  to  Giie- 
giience,  evidently  in  a  depreciatory  manner,  is  probably  from 
the  Nah.  tculli,  worthless. 

Page  10.  While  the  Governor  and  Alguacil  are  conversing, 
Guegiience  and  his  sons  enter,  and  overhear  the  last  direc- 
tions of  the  Governor.  All  three  understand  whom  he 
means,  but  it  is  the  cue  of  Giiegiience  to  assume  a  different 
signification.  To  the  brusque  rejoinder  of  Don  Ambrosio 
he  pretends  to  be  deaf,  and  this  feigned  difficulty  of  hearing 
is  depended  on  as  one  of  the  main  elements  of  the  comic 
throughout. 


NOTES. 


77 


The  epithet  mala  casta,  of  bad  blood,  as  applied  by 
Guegiience  to  his  own  (putative)  son,  becomes  intelligible 
later  in  the  play,  where  it  is  stated  that  he  was  begotten 
during  his  legal  father's  absence  in  Mexico. 

Embustero,  which  I  have  rendered  "  humbug,"  is  more 
exactly  a  boasting,  bragging  charlatan.  Dr.  Valentine 
suggests  "  blower,"  in  the  slang  sense  of  that  word. 

Page  12.  Asuyungua.  The  numerous  words  which  begin  in 
asu,  asa,  and  ase,  seem  to  be  compounds  with  the  Nah  aco, 
"perhaps,"  used  in  introducing  a  positive  statement  mildly, 
or  in  presenting  a  question  in  the  form  of  an  assertion,  as  aco 
amo  timocahua,  "  perhaps  you  have  not  fasted,"  meaning 
"  you  surely  have  not. ' '  (Carochi.)  It  is  usually  combined  with 
other  particles,  and  the  analysis  of  such  compounds  in  the 
altered  form  presented  in  the  text  becomes  exceedingly 
uncertain. 

After  the  announcement  of  his  person  and  official  position 
by  the  Alguacil,  Guegiience  repeats  his  titles  in  a  tone  of 
affected  admiration,  and  inquires  after  his  staff  of  office, 
which  was  not  visible.  This  staff  was  all-important  to  the 
dignity  of  an  alcalde  or  alguacil.  In  Nahuatl  this  official  is 
called  topile,  he  who  carries  the  staff,  from  topilli,  staff. 

Page  14.  Giiegiience,  who  has  no  desire  to  appear  before 
the  Governor,  makes  an  excuse  that  he  will  learn  how  to  fly, 
and  is  about  leaving,  when  he  is  called  back  by  the  Alguacil. 
The  words  te  calas,  qui provincia  real,  should  probably  read, 
ticalaquia presencia  real,  the  first,  from  calaquia,  to  enter,  as 
on  page  8. 

Page  16.  Having  agreed  to  take  a  lesson  in  etiquette, 
Guegiience  pretends  quite  to  misunderstand  the  Alguacil, 
when  he  claims  pay  for  his  instructions. 

Redes,  "  nets  "  of  salted  fish.  The  reference  is  to  the 
method  adopted  by  the  Indians  of  Central  America  in  carry- 
ing burdens.  This  is  in  a  net  which  is  suspended  between 
the  shoulders  by  means  of  a  strap  which  passes  across  the 
forehead.  Such  a  net  is  called  in  Nicaragua  matate,  and  in 
pure  Nahuatl,  matlauacalli  ;  the  strap  or  band  by  which  it  is 
supported  is  the  tnecapal,  Nah.  mecapalli.  When  the  material 
to  be  transported  is  a  fluid,  a  jar  of  earthenware  is  suspended  in 
the  same  manner.  A  small  earthenware  cup,  found  in  Nicara- 
gua exhibits  this,  and  also  some  ingenuity  of  arrangement.  It 
represents  a  woman,  with  one  of  these  jars  on  her  back,  seated. 
(See  p.  78.) 


78 


NOTES. 


Page  18.  Ojos  de  sapo  muerto,  lit.  "  eyes  of  a  dead  toad." 
Such  eyes  were  considered  to  exercise  an  evil  influence,  and 
to  bring  bad  luck. 

Page  20.  Dofilar.  This  Spanish  word  means  to  toll  a 
bell,  as  at  a  death.  Giiegiience  chooses  to  understand  the 
Alguacil's  demand  for  doubloons  to  be  a  request  to  doblar,z.x\d 
hastens  to  announce  to  his  sons  that  the  Alguacil  has  suddenly 
died. 


Page  24.  The  coins  which  Giiegiience  names  are  those  of 
the  old  Spanish  currency.  A  cuarto  was  a  brass  piece,  equal 
to  a  half-penny  English,  or  one  American  cent  (Delpino, 
Spanish  and  English  Dictionary,  1763.)  It  was  worth  four 
maravedis,  and  eight  cuartos  equaled  a  real  de  vellon. 

The  phrase  maneta  congon  is  of  uncertain  signification.  I 
have  translated  the  first  word  as  the  imperative  form  of  nextia, 
to  show,  to  disclose ;  congon  may  perhaps  be  a  corruption  of 
coneiontli,  boy. 

The  Alguacil  now  begins  his  instruction,  and  repeats,  for 
the  benefit  of  Giiegiience,  the  proper  salutation  which  should 
be  used  in  addressing  the  Governor.  The  old  man  pretends 
to  misunderstand  them,  and  makes  use  of  other  words,  similar 
in  sound,  but  of  an  insulting  signification.  I  have  not  suc- 
ceeded in  showing,  in  the  English  text,  this  play  upon  words. 

Page  28.  Asonesepa  negualigua,  etc.  This  passage  has  proved 
unintelligible  to  me,  and  the  rendering  is  little  more  than  a 
guess.    The  phrase  is  the  same  as  at  the  foot  of  p.  30. 


CUP  PROM  NICARAGUA. 


NOTES. 


79 


In  the  midst  of  the  conversation  the  Governor  suddenly 
appears,  and  Giieguence  turns  to  him  with  the  customary  and 
proper  salutation,  thus  showing  that  his  desire  for  instruction 
from  the  Alguacil  was  a  sham. 

On  the  phrase  te  calas  qui provincia  real,  see  the  Notes  to 
page  14, 

Page  30.  Mesonero,  a  person  who  owns  or  has  charge  of 
a  meson,  a  house  in  which  the  poorer  classes  of  travelers 
sleep,  providing  their  own  food,  and  that  of  their  beasts  (Dr. 
Valentine).    For  tupile  see  Vocabulary. 

Antepeque  or  Tecoantepeque,  the  seaport  of  Guaxaca. 
Thomas  Gage,  who  visited  it  in  1625,  wrote  of  it  :  "  This 
Port  of  Tecoantepeque  is  the  chief  for  fishing  in  all  that 
country ;  we  met  here  in  the  ways,  sometimes  with  fifty, 
sometimes  with  a  hundred  mules  together,  laden  with  nothing 
but  salt  fish  for  Guaxaca,  the  City  of  Angels,  and  Mexico." 
— A  new  Survey  of  the  West  Indies,  p.  195.  (London,  1699.) 

Dulces  are  sweetmeats  of  various  kinds,  eaten  usually 
between  meals.  Squier  remarks:  "The  Spanish  taste  for 
'  dulces '  long  ago  passed  into  a  proverb,  but  it  rather  sur- 
passes itself  in  Nicaragua.  The  venders  of  '  dulces,'  gen- 
erally bright  Indian  girls,  gaily  dressed,  and  bearing  a  tray, 
covered  with  the  purest  white  napkins,  and  temptingly  spread 
upon  their  heads,  pass  daily  from  house  to  house  ;  and  it  is 
sometimes  difficult,  and  always  ungallant,  to  refuse  purchasing 
something  from  their  stock." — Nicaragua,  Vol.  I,  p.  275. 

The  punctuation  toward  the  foot  of  the  page  should  prob- 
ably be,  "  no  seremos  guancos  ;  no;  seremos  amigos,  etc.  The 
guipil  de  pecho  is  the  short  upper  jacket  worn  by  the  women. 
A  guipil  de  pluma  is  a  skirt  woven  of  feathers.  In  ancient 
times,  these  garments,  skillfully  constructed  of  the  beautiful 
plumes  of  tropical  birds,  were  esteemed  as  the  most  valued 
articles  in  the  treasures  of  kings,  and  the  most  magnificent  of 
royal  costumes.  The  art  of  feather-weaving  continued  for 
some  generations  after  the  Conquest.  Indeed,  as  late  as  1840 
one  family  in  Mechoacan  preserved  it.  The  reference  to  it 
in  the  text,  however,  is  a  sign  of  antiquity,  as  it  has  long  since 
disappeared  in  Central  America.  See  an  interesting  mono- 
graph on  the  subject  by  the  eminent  French  antiquary,  Fer- 
dinand Denis. — Arte  Plumaria  ;  Les  Plumes,  leur  Valeur  et 
leur  Emploi  dans  les  Arts  au  Mexique,  au  Perou,  etc.  Paris, 
1875. 


80 


NOTES. 


Page  32.  Much  of  this  page  is  rendered  with  doubtful  ac- 
curacy, as  the  text  is  very  obscure. 

Page  34.  Hay  me  sagua,  the  same  as  hoy  me/ague,  p.  36  ; 
hoy,  Spanish,  now,  to-day,  melaua,  Nah.,  to  speak  out,  or 
openly. 

Page  40.  The  reference  to  the  star  would  seem  to  be 
that  when  the  tent  is  opened  a  star  is  visible  through  it,  which 
Giiegiience  offers  to  the  Governor. 

Para  tu  cuerpo,  "  an  extremely  filthy  expression."  (Dr. 
Valentine.) 

Page  42.  Seran  de  arena.  "They  maybe  of  sand,"/. 
<?.,  they  are  of  no  value  or  importance. 

Yugos  de papayo,  yokes  of  papaw  wood,  a  soft  wood,  worth- 
less for  the  purpose,  as  is  also  the  wood  of  the  tecomajoche, 
the  Plumeria,  for  plows.  The  intimation  is  that  Don  Forcico 
was  smart  enough  to  cheat  his  customers. 

The  Nicaraguan  plow  is  a  wooden  instrument  of  the  most 
primitive  construction.  The  following  cut  from  Mr.  Squier's 
work  represents  one. 


A  NICARAGUAN  PLOW. 


Page 48.  The  tunes  mentioned,  the  St.  Martin,  the  Valona, 
the  Porto  rico  and  others,  are  still  preserved  in  Nicaragua. 

Page  30.  Sin  tuno,  sin  tunal.  An  obscure  phrase  which 
none  of  my  advisers  can  explain.  Tuna  is  the  prickly  pear, 
tunal,  the  plant  that  bears  it,  various  species  of  Opuntia. 
Tuna,  in  the  university  slang,  means  beggarly,  reckless; 
"  estudiantes  de  la  tuna,"  mendicant  or  vagabond  students. 
(See  Don  J.  Arias  Giron,  Costumbres  Salamanquinas.~) 

Page  34.  When  the  Governor  uses  the  Nahuatl  word 
mocemaii,  presumptuously,  Giiegiience  feigns  to  understand 
him  to  say  desmonte,  which  means,  in  Nicaraguan  Spanish,  a 
clearing,  and  also  the  worthless  waste  products  thrown  out  of 
a  mine. 

Page 36.    Giiegiience  leads  in  several  girls,  and  presents 


NOTES. 


81 


them  to  Don  Forcico,  which  gives  the  pair  an  opportunity 
for  some  coarse  jokes.  Pachaca,  stuffed  up,  here  meant  in 
the  sense  of  being  with  child.  Iguana  o  garrobo,  the  latter 
the  male  of  the  iguana,  a  thick  tree  lizard  of  the  tropics. 
Aventada,  puffed  up,  taken  in  the  same  sense  as  pachaca. 

Page  38.  The  machete,  which  I  have  translated  "axe," 
is  a  long,  heavy  knife  or  cutlass,  in  extensive  use  in  Spanish 
America,  for  domestic  and  agricultural  purposes.  It  is  shown 
in  the  following  cut. 


Una  yunta  de  botijas  de  vino,  a  yoke  or  brace  of  wine  jars, 
probably  so  called  from  having  been  carried  by  a  neck  yoke, 
one  suspended  on  each  side. 

Page  60.  The  Alguacil  speaks  to  Giiegiience  of  toasting, 
brindar,  the  Court,  and  Giiegiience  feigns  to  hear  him  speak 
of  the  provincial  or  ecclesiastical  officer  in  charge  of  the 
province.  It  is  an  example  of  assonance  which  is  lost  in  the 
translation.  Managua  and  Nindiri  are  towns  in  the  Mangue 
district  of  Nicaragua.    See  the  map  on  page  xii. 

The  next  affected  misunderstanding  of  the  old  man  is  to 
take  una  yunta  de  botijas,  a  yoke  of  bottles,  for  una  yunta  de 
bueyes,  a  yoke  of  oxen. 

Page  62.  Hacer  amigo,  to  make  a  friend.  This  is  the 
phrase  which  is  used  by  courtezans  with  reference  to  securing 
a  male  patron  to  pay  their  expenses,  and  for  that  reason 
Giiegiience  affects  to  be  shocked  by  the  employment  of  it  by 
Don  Forcico. 

Page  64.  The  words  of  the  Alguacil,  "  What  a  reputation, 
etc.,"  are  with  reference  to  the  charge  of  Don  Ambrosio, 
that  Giiegiience  had  taught  his  son  evil  ways. 

The  introduction  of  the  mules,/,  e. ,  the  actors  dressed  as 
mules,  as  described  on  page  xlviii,  is  the  occasion  of  several 
extremely  obscene  puns  and  allusions. 

Page  68.    Potrero,  colt -yard,  or  pasture-lot,  a  play  on  the 


THE  MACHETE. 


6 


82 


NOTES. 


similarity  of  the  word  to  puteria,  a  brothel.  The  estaca  re- 
ferred to  is,  of  course,  an  obscene  allusion,  as  is  also  the 
fluccion  por  debajo  de  las  piernas,  i.  e.,  the  scrotum. 

Page  70.  PI  tiempo  del  hilo  azul.  This  idiom  has  foiled 
all  whom  I  have  consulted.  Dr.  Valentine  thinks  it  refers  to 
the  season  of  the  year  when  the  verdure  reappears  after  the 
drouth.  F.  Diego  Duran  states  that  the  village  conjurors 
were  accustomed  to  suspend  charms  to  the  necks  of  boys  by 
blue  and  green  threads.  {Historia  de  las  Jndias  de  la  Nueva 
Espana.  Tom.  II,  p.  275.)  Thus  understood,  the  time  of 
the  blue  thread  would  be  equivalent  to  boyhood. 

Campos  de  los  Dirioitws.  The  Mangue  word  Diriomo 
means  the  hill  of  abundance,  or  of  great  fertility.  The 
locality  so  named  is  shown  on  the  map,  page  xii. 

Guayaba.  This  is  the  fruit  of  the  guayabo  tree,  the 
Psidium  pyriferum.  It  is  red  in  color,  and  about  the  size  of 
a  small  apple. 

Page  72.  A  la  gorra,  literally  "for  the  cap,"  an  idiom 
meaning  that  one  receives  something  merely  for  taking  off 
the  cap  ;  a  gratuity.  Dr.  Valentine,  however,  writes  me : 
"  I  understand  nosotros  d  la  gorra  to  mean  '  then  we  shall 
have  to  do  without.'  " 


VOCABULARY 

OF 

Nahicatl  and  Provincial,  Unusual  or  Antiquated  Spanish  Words. 


A 

Apupujado,  Sp.    Worn  out,  played  out. 

Arra  !    "  Get  up !    Get  along  !  "    A  cry  of  the  muleteers  to  their 
animals. 

Asa  .     The  various  words  beginning  thus  are  compounds 

commencing  with  the  Nah.  aco,  which  expresses  a 
doubt,  or  implies  a  question, =perhaps,  maybe.  Olmos 
says  :  "  Quiere  decir  ftor  vcntura,  respondiendo  6 
dudando." — Gram.  Nahuatl,  p.  179. 

Asama  .     This  prefix  to  various  words  is  the  Nah.  acoma, 

which  is  a  strengthened  form  of  aco. — Carochi, 
Grain.  Mex.,  p.  181.    The  syllable  ma  is  also  the 
sign  of  the  imperative. 
Asamaquimate,  Nah.    A  compound  of  acamo,  as  above, 
and  matt,  to  know.     The  gut  is  the  object- 
ive pronoun  of  the  third  singular,  him,  her, 
it,  that ;  but  its  employment  in  this  connec- 
tion is  incorrect. 

Asamatimaguas,  or  — timagas,  Nah.    Probably  from 

afoma  (see  above),  and  either  temachtico,  to 
come  to  teach,  or  tell;  or  temaca,  to  give 
something  to  a  person. 

Asanecaneme,  see  Asaneganeme. 
Asanegaguala,  see  Asanegualigua. 

Asaneganeme,   Nah.    Probably  aco  ni  ca  nemactia,  the  last 
word  meaning  to  give  or  offer  something  to 
another,  "  perhaps  I  may  offer  something, "= 
"  May  I  offer  you  some  ? " 
83 


84 


VOCABULARY. 


Asaneglialigua,  Nah.    Probably  aco  and  necuilhuia,  to  deal, 

bargain,  treat  for. 
Asanese,  Nah.  p.  42.    A  compound  of  aco  and  some  unknown 

word.    Probably  =  asones,  q.  v. 
AsetatO,  Sp.  ant.  and  prov.  for  sientate,  sit  down. 
Asiguala,  Nah.     From   aco   and  perhaps  qualani,  to  grow 

angry  (?). 

Asones,  Nah.    From  aco,  and  probably  nechca  or  nepa,  adverbs 
of  place  and  time,  "these,"  "then,"  "once,"  "for- 
merly."   Sometimes  it  is  written  a  sones,  and  asonesepa. 
Asuyungua,  Nah.    Compound  of  aco  and  noyuhqui,  thus,  in 
this  manner  (?  Cf.  Carochi,  Gram.  Alex.  p.  190). 
Ayugama,  Nah.    =  ayoccampa,  nowhere,  not  at  all,  never. 
AzetagagO,  Nah.    Apparently  a  corrupt  form  from  acicacaqui, 
to  understand. 

B 

Batuchito,  Sp.  prov.  A  small  box,  in  which  money,  etc.,  is  kept. 

c 

Cabildo,  Sp.    A  chapter;  a  council.    In  Central  America,  the 

municipal  court.    See  p.  76. 
Cabriole,  Sp.    A  kind  of  riding  coat ;  "  a  narrow  riding  coat 

without  sleeves."    (Delpino,  Span.  Diet.) 
Campaneme,   ?.  p.  28.    Probably  for  campamento. 
Cana,  Nah.    A  particle,  expressing  doubt,  "any  time,"  "any- 
where.'"   Cuix  cana  otimoyolcuiti,  Have  you  confessed 
anywhere  ?    It  cannot  begin  a  sentence,  but  must  always 
follow  some  other  word  (Carochi,  Gram.  Mex.,  p.  158). 
Cele,   Sp.  prov.    A  form  of  zelar,  to  be  zealous  for,  to  be 
anxious  for ;  no  me  cele,  I  do  not  very  strongly  desire  ; 
used  ironically. 
ChigUlgua,   Nah.    Perhaps  ti  calaquia,  you  will  enter  in. 
Chiquimate,  Nah.    From  mati,  to  know,  qui,  objective. 
Chopaquimate,  Nah.    Quimati,  see  above.    Chopa  and  chi 
seem  to  be  personal  forms. 


VOCABULARY. 


85 


Chocola,  Nah.  Chocolatl,  a  drink  made  from  cacao.  It  has 
been  doubted  whether  there  was  a  Nahuatl  word  in 
this  form.  Don  Jesus  Sanchez  denies  it  in  his 
Glosario  de  Voces  Castellanas  derivadas  del  Idiotna 
Nahuatl,  sub  voce  (Mexico,  1883.).  But  its  pure 
Nahuatl  origin  seems  to  be  established  by  another 
writer  {An.  del  Museo  National  de  Mexico,  Tom.  iii, 
p.  86).  From  the  text,  its  meaning  was  in  a  wider 
sense  a  refection  in  general,  just  as  the  English  word 
"  tea  "  means  a  meal. 

Cinchera,  Sp.  The  portion  of  the  body  of  a  horse  or  mule 
where  the  saddle  girth  is  fastened. 

Cobijones,  Sp.    Large  leather  coverings  to  protect  goods,  etc. 

Cojudo,  Sp.    Not  castrated.    Applied  to  the  entire  horse,  etc. 

Columbrar,  Sp.  To  descry,  to  discern  at  a  distance.  "  Lo  que 
veo  y  columbro,  respondio  Sancho,"  etc. — Don 
Quixote,  Pt.  I,  cap.  xxi. 

CongOfl,  Nah.  p.  24.  Perhaps  conetontli,  a  boy,  or  young 
person. 

Consentidor,   Sp.    A  conniver,  procurer,  pimp. 
CorcoblOS,   Sp.    Curvetings,  gambolings.   Applied  to  the  steps 

in  certain  dances. 
Corridos,  Sp.    Running  steps,  or  motions,  in  certain  dances. 
CuaSCuane,   Nah.    From  cuicani,  to  sing,  chant. 

D 

Desmonte,  Sp.  A  clearing ;  the  refuse  from  a  clearing,  or 
from  a  mine.    See  note,  page  80. 

E 

Kalian,   Nah.    A  form  of  ihuan,  and,  as  well  as. 

Escataci,  p.  28  (?). 

G 

Galagua,  Nah.  calaguta,  to  enter,  to  come  into. 
GanzO,  Sp.  prov.  a  goose  ;  a  fool ;  also  a  glutton. 


86 


VOCABULARY. 


Garrobo.  A  large  species  of  tree  lizard ;  the  male  of  the 
iguana  (Berendt,  Lengua  Castellana  de  Nicara- 
gua, MSS). 

GuajaquenO,  Nah.    From  quauhuaqui,  to  appear  thin  and 

dry,  like  a  stick. 
GuailCOS,  Sp.  prov.  for  guanacos,  foolish,  silly  persons. 

Giiil,  Sp.  prov.    Probably  for  que  es  el,  or  quel,  who  is  the,  or 
which  ? 

Guipil,  Nah.  A  form  of  gueipil,  or  kuipilli.  The  short  skirt, 
without  sleeves,  used  by  the  Indian  women.  "  Camisa 
de  algodon  sin  mangas." — Jesus  Sanchez,  Glosario  de 
Voces  Castellatias  derivadas  del  Nahuatl,  s.  v. 

Guiso,  see  Tomaguiso. 

L 

Lichua,  Nah.  Probably  an  abbreviated  form  from  tla  achiua, 
to  do,  or  make  something ;  lichua  obedecer,  to  make 
to  obey. 

Linar,  Sp.  prov.     To  please,  amuse,  =  consolar,  for  which  it 
is  used  in  some  districts.  (Berendt.) 

M 

Machete,  Sp.  prov.    A  heavy  knife,  or  sort  of  cutlass  (a  Bis- 

cayan  word).    See  page  81. 
Macho,  Sp.    A  male  of  any  animal,  especially  of  a  mule  ;  used 

generally  for  mule  in  the  Giiegiience. 
Macho-raton,  Sp.  Literally,  "the  male  mouse,"  but  in  Nica- 
ragua applied  to  a  fantastic  costume,  and  hence 
to  the  play,  or  baile,  in  which  it  is  worn.  See 
page  xlvii.  It  may  also  mean  a  mouse- 
colored  jack. 

Maneca,  Nah.    From  mana,  to  make  maize  cakes,  or  tortillas  ; 

manacan,  one  who  likes  to  make  such  (cf.  Carochi, 

Gram.  Mex.,  p.  136). 
Maneta,   Nah.    Probably  the  imperative  form  of  nextia  [ma,  xi 

nextia),  to  show,  to  disclose  or  inform. 


VOCABULARY. 


87 


Mascamayagua.  Nah.  A  compound  of  maxca  {—mo,  axed) 
thine,  it  is  thine  (literally,  thy  thing),  and 
mayacuele,  the  optative  particle,  or  else  ma 
aye  caui,  thine  always.  It  is  evidently 
equivalent  to  "  yours  to  command,"  "  at 
your  service,"  etc. 

Matamagueso,  see  Tumaguiso. 

Matateco,  Nah.    Slightly  altered  form  of  matataca,  to  beg,  to 
pray,  possibly  by  the  addition  of  the  Spanish  personal 
pronoun,  I,  "  yo." 
Mayagua,  or  Mayague,  Nah.    Apparently  the  sign  of  the 
optative,  mayacuele,  and   expressive   of  a  wish  ; 
yecuel,  in  Nah.,  also  conveys  the  idea  of  promptness 
and  earliness  (Carochi,  Gram.  Mex.,  p.  175). 
Melague,  Or  Melagua,  Nah.    A  form  of  melaua,  to  say 
clearly,  to  speak  openly.    The  termination  que,  in 
Nah.,  marks  the  plural  of  certain  nouns  and  tenses. 
MlSCualeS,  Nah.     From    miequilia,    to    prosper,  augment, 
increase. 

Mispiales,  Nah.     From   miecpialia,  to  watch   over,  guard, 
protect.   In  both  the  above  words,  the  prefix  is  miee, 
much,  used  as  an  intensive  particle. 
Mo,  Nah.    Second  person,  sing.,  of  the  inseparable  possessive 
pronoun,  no,  my,  mo,  thy,  y,  his,  to,  our,  amo,  your, yn,  their- 
Mo  is  also  the  reflexive  pronoun  of  the  third  person  singular, 
and  appears  to  be  occasionally  used  in  the  Guegiience  as 
the  possessive  of  the  third  person,  probably  from  analogy 
with  the  Spanish  su. 
Mocegua,  Or  Mosegua,   Nah.     Apparently  from  tnoeen- 
chiua,  to  unite  in  doing  something.    The  n  is  eupho- 
nic, the  composition  being  ce,  one,  and  achiua,  to  do. 
Mohino,  Sp.    Applied  to  a  mule  proceeding  from  a  stud  and 

a  jenny  ;  also,  peevish,  cross. 
Mollule,  or  Muyule,   Nah.    Apparently  from  molotl,  smart, 
clever,  crafty ;   itself  a  derivative  from  yollo,  able, 
ingenious,  talented. 


88 


VOCABULARY. 


Monistilco,  Nah.    Apparently  from  monetli,  son-in-law,  with 

the  postposition  co,  for,  by,  etc. 
Mosamonte,  Nah.    mocemati,  presumptuously,  too  boldly. 

Motales,  or  Motalce,  Nah.    Derivatives,  apparently,  from 

motlaloa,  to  run,  to  carry  messages, 
with  the  signification  messengers. 

Motel,  Nah.  p.  38.  An  interrogative  negative  particle,  properly 
monel. 

MotO,  Sp.  prov.    Noisy,  rowdyish ;  a  noisy,  blustering  person. 

"El  muchacho  mal  criado  que  motea."   (Berendt,  La 
Lengua  Casteliana  de  Nicaragua,  MSS.) 
Muchintes.    The  Sp.  mucho,  much,  with  the  Nah.  augmenta- 
tive termination  tzin,=  very  much,  very  extensive. 
Or  else,  the  pure  Nah.  muchintin,  all,  plural  of 
muchi. — Olmos,  Gram.  Nahuatl.  p.  48. 
Mudanzas,  Sp.  prov.    The  motions  in  a  dance. 

Muyule,  see  Mollule, 

N 

Necana,  Nah.    From  nequanaliztli,  dancing  motions,  as  are 
used  in  bailes. 

Neganeme,  see  Asaniganeme. 

Negua,  Nah.  If  a  separate  word,  this  is  probably  from  neci, 
to  disclose  oneself,  to  show  oneself :  it  is,  however,  a 
doubtful  expression. 

Negualigua,  Nah.    From  necuilhtiia,  to  bargain,  to  deal  for. 

Neme,  Nah.    From  nemi,  to  live,  to  be  (Sp.  estar),  to  dwell. 

Nemo,  see  Niqui. 

Ul,  Nah.    Found  in  the  construction  nemo  niqui,  which 
should  probably  read  ni  monequi,  it  is  proper  for  me, 
becoming  or  necessary.    Sp.  me  conviene. 
Nistipampa,  Nah.    The  postposition  pampa,  ixtli,  the  face, 
and  the  first  possessive  pronoun  no.    The  com- 
pound means  "  I,  present,"  or  "  in  my  presence." 
Carochi,  Gram.  Mex.,  p.  45. 


VOCABULARY. 


No,   Nah.    First  person,  singular,  of  the  inseparable  possessive 
pronoun.    See  mo.    It  is  also  used  for  the  Spanish  nega- 
tive, no,  not,  throughout  the  play. 
Nonguan,  page  28.    An  unknown  word  which,  from  its  initial 
nasal,  has  the  appearance  of  being  from  the  Mangue 
tongue,  in  which  this  sound  is  very  common. 

o 

Opa,  Nah.,  oppa,  twice. 

P 

Pachaca,  Nah.  A  derivative  from  pachiui,  to  stuff  with  food, 
to  satisfy  the  appetite,  etc.  The  verbal  nouns  ending 
in  ca  or  can  usually  signify  place  where,  but  this  is  to 
be  considered  a  verbal  adjective,  from  the  pluperfect 
pachiuhca. 

Pachigue,  or  Pachiguete,  Nah.  From  pachiuitia,  to  satisfy 
a  person.  The  frequent  expression,  pachigue  no 
pachiguete,  should  probably  be  punctuated  pachi- 
gue ?  No  pachigutee,  =  Satisfied  ?  No,  you  do  not 
satisfy  me. 

Pagliala,  p.  36,  Nah.  A  truncated  word.  Compare  a  sones 
sepaguala,  p.  34,  and  a  sonesepa  negualigua,  p.  28. 

Palegue,  see  Panegqje. 

I    o         '  fc> 

Palparesia,   Nah.   From  papal,  or  papallotl,  talk,  conversation. 

Sp.  parleria.  No  doubt  an  onomatopeietic  word, 
like  the  English  babble,  Hebrew,  Babel,  which  it 
resembles,  both  in  pronunciation  and  meaning. 

Palteclllia,  Nah.  From  paleichqui,  favorable,  advantageous  or 
appropriate  things.    See  page  76. 

Paneguia,  or  Panegue,  or  Palegue,  Nah.  From  panauia, 

to  get  the  better  of  another,  to  overcome,  conquer. 
The  termination,  gue,  or  guia,  in  this  and  other 
verbal  forms,  is  one  of  past  time  in  the  Nahuatl. 
See  Carochi,  Gram.  Mex.,  p.  54. 
Peinador,  p-  70.  Perhaps  the  Spanish  word  so  spelled,  which 
means  a  hairdresser,  and  hence  an  effeminate  person. 
But  it  may  be  a  Spanish  form  from  the  Nah.pinauh/ia, 
to  put  another  to  the  blush,  or  out  of  countenance, 
the  compulsive  form  of pinaua,  to  be  ashamed. 


90 


VOCABULARY. 


Perico  ligero,  Sp.  prov.  In  Nicaragua,  the  night-monkey, 
Cercoleptes  candivolvulus,  which  has  sharp 
claws.  It  is  elsewhere  applied  to  a  species  of 
parrot,  and  to  the  bee  bear,  Myrmecophaga, 
(Berendt,  Lengua  Castellana  de  Nicaragua, 
MSS). 

Petaca,  Nah.  From  petlacalli,  a  box,  trunk  or  chest ;  especially 
a  square  basket,  with  a  lid  ;  "  cajon  quadrangular  con 
tapa,  hecho  de  palma"  (Berendt,  id). 

Petate,  Nah.,  petlatli,  the  native  rug  or  mat,  woven  of  palm 
leaves  or  rushes. 

Pilse,  Nah.,  piltzin,  son,  vocative,  piltze.    See  page  75. 

Polluse,  or  Poyuse,  Nah.  Apparently  a  form  oipoa,  to  tell, 
relate,  give  an  account,  preterit,  pouh,  pouhca. 

Q 

Qui,  Sp.,  who  ;  also  at  times  for  Sp.  aqui,  here. 

Qllichuas,   Nah.    Probably  a  derivative  from  achiua,  to  do  or 

make.    Compare  Lichua. 
QuillS,  Nah.,  qualli,  good,  well. 

Quinimente,  Nah.,  quin,  he,  those,  aquin,  who.  It  would  seem 
to  be  a  demonstrative  form,  but  its  analysis  is 
obscure. 

Quinquimagua,  Nah.    A  compound  of  macua,  to  give,  to 
concede,  with  the  pronouns  quin  or  aquin. 

R 

Rebiatar,  Sp.  prov.    To  tie  behind,  as  the  muleteers  tie  one 

mule  in  the  line  to  the  mule  in  front  of  it. 
Recti  a,  Sp.  prov.    A  team,  or  line,  of  mules. 

Remates,  Sp.  prov.    The  finishing  steps,  or  closing  figures  of 
a  dance. 

Rinonada.     The  hinder  portion  of  a  horse  or  mule,  over 

which  passes  one  of  the  harness  straps. 
RujerOS,  Sp.  prov.  for  rugidos,  bellowings  or  shoutings.  The 
name  of  a  tune. 


VOCABULARY. 


91 


Sagua,  p.  34.    A  mutilated  word ;  see  Melague. 

Sapatetas,  Sp.  prov.  for  zapatetas,  from  zapato,  a  shoe.  Shoe- 
slappings,  the  name  of  the  figures  in  a  rough,  noisy 
dance. 

Samo,  Nah.,  p.  8.    Probably  some  compound  of  amo,  no,  not. 
Semula,  Sp.  prov.  for  similar,  like,  similar  to. 
Seno,  Sp.  prov.  for  sin,  without. 
Sepaguala,  Nah.    See  Paguala. 

Sepanegaligua,  Nah.    A  compound  of  calaqnia,  to  enter, 
with  some  prefix,  as  cepan,  together,  or  ixpan, 
in  the  presence  of  some  one. 
Sesule,  Nah.    A  compound  of  tculli,  good  for  nothing,  worth- 
less, perhaps  with  ce,  one,  or  te,  some  one.    It  is  an 
adjective,  applied  in  a  depreciatory  manner  to  the 
Guegiience. 
Sicana,  Nah.    See  Cana. 

Silguerio,  Sp.  prov.  for  xilguero,  a.  linnet,  or  thrush. 

Simocague,  Nah.     Imperative   form   of  mocauct,  to  pause, 

suspend,  cease.    See  page  75. 
Sobornal,  Sp.    The  excess  or  addition  to  a  load. 
SoneS,  Sp.    Tunes,  music. 

T 

Tatita,  Sp.    Little  papa.    A   diminutive  of  endearment.  It 

could  also  be  derived  from  the  Nah.  tatli,  father. 
Tecetales,  or  Tesetales,   Nah.     From  tctzauia,  to  be  a 

shame,  to  be  scandalous. 
TeCOmajoche,  Nah.,  tecomatl,  vase,  xochitl,  flower;  a  tree 
bearing  small  white  flowers,   a  species  of 
Plumiera,  allied  to  the  East  Indian  "  temple 
tree." 

Teguane,  Nah.     Form  of  tehuantin,  pronoun,  first  person 
plural,  we,  us. 

XicinO,  Nah.,  ticitl,  a  native  doctor,  a  charlatan  ;  one  who  casts 
lots  for  divination  ;  a  personal  form,  from  ticiti,  might 
be  ticitoni. 


92 


VOCABULARY. 


Tiguala,  Nah.  A  compound  of  ti,  thou,  and  qualli,  good  or 
well.    See  note,  page  75. 

Tigllita,  Nah.  A  word  of  uncertain  meaning,  pages  46,  48,  in 
the  phrase  molhde  tiguita.  It  may  be  a  first  person 
plural,  from  quixtia,  tic  quixtia,  we  do  our  duty,  we 
do  our  best. 

Timaguas,  Nah.    Either  from  temaca,  to  give  something  to 
another ;  or  from  temackti,  a  teacher,  an  instructor. 
Tin,  Sp.    A  form  for  tetter,  to  have.    It  stands  in  different 
passages  for  tiene,  tenemos,  and  tienen,  and  is  a  good  illus- 
tration of  the  wearing  away  of  forms  in  this  mixed  dialect. 
Tinderia,  Sp.  for  tenderia,  a  shop,  booth  or  tent,  in  which  wares 

are  displayed  for  sale. 
Totolatera,  Nah.   From  tototl,  a  bird  or  fowl ;  fietaca  totolatera, 

a  basket  for  carrying  fowls. 
TumaguisO,  Nah.    A  compound  of  tuma,  to  untie,  open,  and 
quica,  a.  verbal  termination,  which  signifies  a 
performance  of  the  action  of  the  verb  to  which  it 
is  added. — Olmos,  Gram.  Nah.,  p.  157. 
Tumiles,  Nah.    An  adjective  from  the  same  root  as  tomana- 
lizttt,  fatness,  corpulence,  and  signifies  abounding, 
abundant. 

Tunal,  Sp.  prov.,  from  a  Haytian  (Arawack)  word.    It  means 
a  plantation  of  the  native  American  cactus  figs,  or 
prickly  pears.    See  page  80. 
Tupile,  Nah.    An  officer  of  justice,  an  alcalde  or  alguacil. 

From  topile,  he  who  carries  a  staff;  topilli,  staff,  this 
being  the  badge  of  the  office. 

V 

Vaticola,  Sp.  prov.  The  posterior  of  an  animal ;  the  crupper 
region.    Possibly  from  veta  di  cola,  vein  of  the  tail. 

VelariClCOS,  Sp.  prov.  for  villancicos,  rustic  songs  sung  at  the 
doors  of  the  brotherhoods  (co/radias)  at  certain 
festivals  (Berendt,  Leng.  Castel.  de  Nicaragua, 
MSS). 

Y 

Ya.     Interjection.    You  there  !    Yes,  there  ! 


INDEX. 


ALVA,  B.  de,  xlv. 
Anahuac,  v,  vi,  vii. 
Antepeque,  79. 
Arawack  language,  xx. 
Ayacachtli,  the,  xxxvi. 
Aymaras,  xv. 
Aztecs,  v,  xvi. 
migrations  of,  vi. 

BAKER,  THEODORE,  xxxviii. 
Bancroft,  H.  H.,  ix. 
Baptista,  J.,  xlviii. 
Balsam  Coast,  the,  xxxvi. 
Barber,  E.  A.,  xxxiii,  xxxviii. 
Benzoni,  G.,  xi,  xvi,  xxii,  xliv. 
Berendt,  C.  H.,  v,  vi,  xi,  xxv,  xxxi, 
xli. 

Bertonio,  L.,  xv. 
Bobadilla,  F.  de,  vii. 
Brantford,  Dr.  J.  F.,  x,  xxxv. 
Brasseur  de  Bourbourg,  xliii. 
Buschmann,  vii,  xi. 

CACHO,  THE,  xxxvii. 
Canahuate,  dance,  xxvi. 
Carimba,  the,  xxxvi. 
Carochi,  H.,  xvi,  75,  77. 
Chapanecs,  H.,  viii,  ix,  xxii,  xxxix. 
Chiapanec,  see  Chapanecs. 
Chiapas,  ix. 
Chilchil,  the,  xxxvi. 
Chinegritos,  Los,  xxvi. 
Chirimoya,  the,  xxxviii. 
Cholotecans,  vi,  n,  viii. 
Cholula,  derivation,  viii. 
Chorotegans  see  Cholotecans. 
Cofradias,  the,  xxxix. 
Coreal,  F.,  xxii,  xliv. 
Cuscatlan,  vi. 

DELPINO,  F.,  78. 
Denis,  F.,  79. 
Dirians,  viii. 


Drums,  xxx. 

Duran,  D.,  xxi,  xxx,  xliv,  xlviii, 

FEATHER  WEAVING,  79. 
Flint,  Dr.  Earl,  x,  xxxix,  xli. 
Flutes,  xxxv. 
Fonseca  Bay,  viii. 

GAGE,  THOMAS,  xxii,  79. 
Gatschet,  A.  S.,  xxxviii. 
Giron,  J.  A.,  80. 
Gollena,  Dr.,  xviii. 
Gomara,  vii. 
Guegiience, 

Play  described,  xli. 

Derivation,  xlv. 

Story  of,  xlviii. 

HAEFKENS,  J.,  xxiv. 
Honduras,  xvii. 

ICAZBALCETA,  J.  G.,  xlviii. 

JUCO,  THE,  xxxv. 

KEKCHIS,  xlii. 
Kiches,  xliii. 

LACANDONS,  xxxviii. 
Las  Inditas,  xxx. 
Lessing,  G.  C,  xlvi. 
Levy,  Pablo,  xxiv,  xxx,  xliii. 
Logas,  xxv. 

MACHETE,  THE,  81. 
Macho- Raton,  the,  xlviii. 
Maguateca,  vii. 
Malinche,  air  of,  xxxviii. 
Managua,  Lake,  viii. 

Province,  xi,  xxxi. 
Mangue  language,  xi,  xiii. 
Mangues,  v,  viii,  xxii. 
Marimba,  the  xxviii. 


94 


INDEX. 


Masaya,  viii,  xvii. 
Mayas,  ix. 

Mice,  superstitions  about,  xlviii. 
Morelet,  A.,  xxx,  xxxviii. 

NAHUAS,  v. 

Nahuatl  language,  v,  vi,  xiii. 
Nahuatl  Spanish  jargon,  xxi. 
Namotiva,  xxx. 
Navarro,  J.  M.,  xxxix. 
Negritos,  dance,  xxvi. 
Nets,  for  burdens,  77. 
Nicaragua,  v. 

Derivation  of,  vi. 

Lake  of,  v,  xi. 
Nicaraguans,  vi. 
Nicaraos,  vi. 

Nicoya,  Gulf  of,  v,  viii,  xxxv. 
Niquirans,  v,  vi. 

OLLITA,  DANCE  OF,  xxvi. 
Ollita,  instrument,  xxxi. 
Ometepec,  Island,  xi,  xxxi. 
Oviedo,  F.  de,  v,  viii,  xi,  xix,  xxi. 

PEREZ,  GERONIMO,  xix. 
Peru,  xv,  xxxi. 
Pito,  the,  xxxiii. 
Plow,  Nicaraguan,  80. 

QQUICHUA  LANGUAGE,  xvi. 
Quijongo,  the,  xxxvi. 


REMESAL,  P.  F.,  ix. 
Rocha,  J.  E.  de  la,  xii. 

SALAZAR,  F.  C,  xlviii. 
Squier,  E.  G.,  v,  vi,  x,  79. 
Suchi-Malinche, 
Derivation  of,  xlvii. 

TASTUANES,  derivation  of,  xlvii. 
Tecoatega,  xx. 
Tecoantepeque,  79. 
Tempsky,  Von,  xxviii,  xxxviii. 
Ternaux-Compans,  vii,  ix. 
Ticknor,  George,  xxv,  xliv. 
Ticomega,  vii. 
Titicaca,  Lake,  xv. 
Toro-Guaca,  dance  of,  xxvi. 
Torquemada,  vii,  ix. 

ULUAS,  xliii. 
Urrutia,  J.  A.,  xxiii. 

VASQUEZ,  F.,  vi,  xxii. 
Valentine,  F.  H.,  76,  82. 
Valentine,  P.  J.  J.,  ix. 
Vera  Paz,  Province,  xxxviii. 

WHISTLES,  xxxiii,  xxxv. 

ZAPATERO,  ISLAND,  xxxiii. 


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NO.  I.   THE  MAYA  CHRONICLES. 

Edited  by  DANIEL  G.  BRINTON,  M .  D. 

1  vol.,  8vo,  pp.  271).    Price,  paper,  $3.00  ;  cloth,  $3.50. 

This  volume  contains  five  brief  chronicles  in  the  Maya 
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language,  calendar,  numeral  system,  etc.  ;  and  a  vocabulary 
is  added  at  the  close. 

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*' Maya  Chronicles  "J  is  a  most  important  contribution  to  the  literature  id"  American 
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which  were  rehearsed  when  a  chief  died  and  his  successor 
Mas  appointed.  The  fundamental  laws  of  the  League,  a  list 
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and  history  of  the  Huron-Iroquois  League  and  its  founders, 
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"The  book  is  one  of  great  ethnological  value,  in  the  light  it  casts  on  the  political  and 
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America.  It  is  in  the  mixed  Nahuatl-Spanish  jargon  of 
Nicaragua,  and  shows  distinctive  features  of  native  author- 
ship. The  Introduction  treats  of  the  ethnology  of  Nicaragua, 
and  the  local  dialects,  musical  instruments,  and  dramatic 
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Other  important  works,  in  various  native  languages,  are  in 
the  course  of  preparation,  under  competent  editorship. 

Of  these  may  be  mentioned — 

THE  NATIONAL  LEGEND  OF  THE  CREEKS.  Edited 
by  A.  8.  Gatschet. 

The  original  account,  written  in  1735;  an  English  transla- 
lation,  and  a  re-translation  into  the  Creek  language,  in  which  it 
was  originally  delivered,  by  an  educated  native,  and  into  the 
Hitchiti,  a  dialect  cognate  to  the  Creek. 

THE  ANNALS  OF  THE  KAKCHIQUELS.    By  Ernantez 
Xahila. 

These  chronicles  are  the  celebrated  Memorial  de  Tecpan 
Atitlan  so  often  quoted  by  the  late  Abbe  Brasseur  de  Bour- 
bourg.  They  are  invaluable  for  the  ancient  history  and  my- 
thology of  Gautemalan  nations,  and  are  of  undoubted  authen- 
ticity and  antiquity. 

THE  ANNALS  OF  QUAUHTITLAN.    Edited  by  A.  F. 
Bandklier. 

The  original  Aztec  text,  with  a  new  translation.  This  is  also 
known  as  the  Codex  Chimalpopoai.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
curious  and  valuable  documents  in  Mexican  archaeology. 

ABORIGINAL   AMERICAN    ANTHOLOGY.    Edited  by 
Daniel  G.  Bkinton,  m.d. 

A  collection  of  the  songs,  chants  and  metrical  compositions 
of  the  Indians,  designed  to  display  the  emotional  and  imagina- 
tive powers  of  the  race  and  the  prosody  of  their  languages. 


« 

The  following  two  works  are  not  portions  of  the  series, 
hut  are  related  to  it  by  their  contents.  They  may  be  obtained 
from  the  same  publishers. 

AMERICAN  HERO-MYTHS. 

A  STUDY  in  the  NATIVE  RELIGIONS  of  the  WESTERN  CONTINENT. 

By  DANIEL  G.  BRINTON,  A.M.,  M.D.,  etc. 

1  vol.,  8vo,  pp.  251.    (Philad'a,  1882.)    Cloth,  Piice,  $1.75. 

NOTICES  OF  THE  PRESS. 

"  Dr.  Brinton  writes  from  a  minute  and  extended  knowledge  of  the  original  sources. 
*  *  His  work  renders  a  aignal  service  to  the  cause  of  comparative  mythology  in  our 
country." — The  Literary  World  (Boston). 

"This  study  ot  certain  of  the  most  remarkable  stories  of  American  mythology  is 
exceedingly  interesting." — The  Saturday  Review  (London). 

"  In  Ins  '  American  Hero-Myths  '  Dr.  Brinton  gives  as  the  due  to  the  religious  thought 
of  the  aboriginal  Races.  *  *  It  is  a  learned  and  careful  book,  clearly  written,  popular 
in  style  though  scientific  in  method,  ami  must  be  a  good  deal  fresher  than  a  novel  to 
most  readers." — The  American  (Philadelphia). 

"This  volume  is  the  first  attempt  at  what  is  entitled  to  be  regarded  as  a  critically 
accurate  presentation  of  the  fundamental  conceptions  found  in  the  native  heliefs  of  the 
tnhes  of  America.1' — The  New  Emjlund  llibliopolixt. 

'■  This  is  a  thoughtful  anil  original  contribution  to  the  science  of  comparative  religion." 
—  The  Boston  Journal. 

"  We  regard  the  '  Hero  Myths  '  as  a  valuable  Contribution  to  the  history  of  religion  and 
to  comparative  mythology." — The  Teacher  (Philadelphia). 

"*  *  These  few  extracts  give  no  idea  of  the  mass  of  legends  in  this  volume,  and  the 
queer,  out-of-the-way  information  it  supplies  c  mcerning  the  ideas  and  usages  of  races 
now  extinct  or  hastening  to  extinction." — The  Dublin  Evening  Mail. 

"Dr.  Brinton,  in  his  '  American  Hero-Myths,1  has  applied  the  comparative  method 
soberly,  and  backed  it  by  solid  research  in  the  original  authors." — The  Critic  (New  York  I. 

ABORIGINAL  AMERICAN  AUTHORS, 

AND  THEIR  PRODUCTIONS. 

Especially  those  in  the  Native  Languages.    A  Contribution 
to  the  History  of  Literature. 

By  DANIEL  G.  BRINTON,  A.M.,  M.D.,  etc. 

1  vol.,  8vo,  pp.  63.  Boards.    Price,  $1.00. 

An  essay  founded  on  an  address  presented  to  the  Congress 
of  Americanists,  at  Copenhagen,  in  1883.  It  is  an  extended 
review  of  the  literary  efforts  of  the  red  race,  in  their  own 
tongues,  and  in  English,  Latin  and  Spanish  (both  manuscript 
and  printed ).  An  entirely  novel  field  of  inquiry  is  opened  to 
view,  of  equal  interest  to  ethnologists,  linguists  and  historians. 


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